Hardy nursery stock in Great Britain

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This was the fifth survey of pesticide usage solely on hardy nursery stock ...... Maureen McCreath, Christian Skeels, Jeremy Snowden and Louis Thomas for their ...
PESTICIDE USAGE SURVEY REPORT 152

HARDY NURSERY STOCK IN GREAT BRITAIN 1997

D G Garthwaite & M R Thomas

Pesticide Usage Survey Group Central Science Laboratory Sand Hutton York YO41 1LZ

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food & Scottish Office, Agriculture, Environment & Fisheries Department

CONTENTS

Page

Definitions

iv

Quality Control of Data

iv

Summary

1

Introduction

2

Methods

3

Results and Discussion

6

Crops

6

Overall Usage of Pesticides

7

Extent and Quantities of Pesticide Formulations Used

11

Extent and Quantities of Active Substances Used

20

Pesticide Usage on Fruit Stock

23

Pesticide Usage on Roses

27

Pesticide Usage on Ornamental Trees

31

Pesticide Usage on Shrubs etc.

35

Pesticide Usage on Herbaceous Plants

39

Pesticide Usage on Mixed Areas

42

Pesticide Usage on Christmas trees

47

Comparison with Previous Surveys

50

Acknowledgements

54

References

54

Appendix

55

ROUNDING ii

Due to rounding of figures, the sum of constituent items in the tables may not agree exactly with the totals shown.

DEFINITIONS a) 'Pesticide' is used throughout this report to include commercial formulations containing active substances of insecticides, acaricides, molluscicides, fungicides, herbicides, desiccants, soil sterilants, nematicides, and growth regulators. b) 'Treated area' is the gross area treated with a pesticide, including all repeated applications, some of which may have been applied to the land in preparation for drilling and thus may appear as an inappropriate use on that crop. c) 'Reason for application' shown in tables is the grower's stated reason for use of that particular pesticide on that crop and may not always seem entirely appropriate. d) Where individual pesticides are mentioned in the text, they are listed in descending order of use by hectares treated.

e) Mixed areas include all container-grown plants as recorded on the June 1997 Agricultural Census, but may also include small areas of field grown crops from all other categories. With the exception of mixed areas all other crops were grown in field situations.

f) Common and Latin names for pests, weeds and diseases are usually taken as those used by Scopes & Stables (1989).

g) Pesticides classed as insecticides may have some acaricidal activity but are mainly used against insect pests. Similarly, pesticides classed as acaricides may be active against some insect pests but are principally used against mites.

QUALITY CONTROL OF DATA All data are collected by personal interview using fully qualified staff working to standard operating procedures. Paper records are held at Sand Hutton but individual holdings will not be identified. Data are entered onto a computer database which has extensive error checking routines associated with the input program. Each item of data is then checked after entry, and subsequently all forms are re-checked by someone other than the original operator. Prior to compilation of the tables, the data are further subjected to a range of computer checks to detect, amongst other things, any values which, on agronomic grounds, appear suspect. Any thus revealed are further scrutinised, and, if necessary, referred back to the original source. All the tables are prepared by computer, once the data set is considered correct, thus eliminating transcription and typographical errors.

iii

SUMMARY This report contains information concerning all aspects of pesticide usage on hardy nursery stock during the 1996/97 growing season. Information concerning seven types of hardy nursery stock crops and data on pesticide usage were collected from 965 examples grown on 324 holdings throughout Great Britain. The sample accounted for 35% of the total area of hardy nursery stock grown in Great Britain during the 1996/97 season. A comparison is also made between previous surveys of hardy nursery stock conducted in 1993 and 1981. The area of hardy nursery stock grown had increased by 7% since 1993 and by 35% since 1981. Mixed areas (see Definitions, page iv) accounted for 23% of the total area of crops grown in the survey. All other stock were field-grown and comprised Christmas trees on a further 23% of the area, ornamental trees on 18%, shrubs etc. on 14%, roses on 10%, fruit stock on 9% and herbaceous perennials on the remainder of the area grown. Approximately 77% of the area of hardy nursery stock was grown in three regions, Eastern, Midlands & Western and South Eastern with less than 10% being grown in each of the remaining four regions. Over 88% of all crops received some form of treatment although the proportion treated varied between crops. Ninetynine percent of roses received some pesticide treatment, as did 99% of fruit stock, 91% of mixed areas and almost 87% of ornamental trees. In contrast, over 44% of herbaceous plants, 18% of Christmas trees and 17% of shrubs etc. remained untreated. On average, herbicides were used on 69% of all crops, insecticides on 44%, fungicides on 32% and acaricides on 16%. Overall, an average of nine sprays, twelve products and thirteen active substances, some of which could have been repeat applications of a product, were applied to hardy nursery stock crops. Herbicides accounted for 37% of the total pesticide-treated area of hardy nursery stock crops grown in Great Britain in 1997, fungicides 33%, insecticides 20%, acaricides 8%, “other pesticides” 1%, molluscicides & repellents and growth regulators less than one percent. In terms of weight of active substances applied "other pesticides" accounted for 49%, herbicides 24%, fungicides 18%, insecticides 7%, acaricides 1%, molluscicides & repellents 1% and growth regulators less than one percent. Glyphosate was the most frequently used herbicide active substance, being used on 14% of the herbicide-treated area, with simazine 13%, isoxaben 10%, metazachlor 7%, and paraquat on 6%. The most extensively used fungicide formulations were myclobutanil 28% of the area treated, fenpropimorph 10%, bupirimate/triforine 7%, bupirimate 7% and fenarimol 6% of the area treated. By weight applied fosetyl-aluminium, used primarily as a drench, was the main fungicide applied, accounting for 43% of the total weight of fungicides applied. Organophosphates were the most extensively used insecticides accounting for 39% of the insecticide-treated area, followed by carbamates 27%, pyrethroids 26% and organochlorines 5%. Chlorpyrifos, used as a granular incorporation for the control of vine weevil larvae, accounted for 40% of the total weight of insecticides applied. Fenpropathrin accounted for 18% of the acaricide-treated area, bifenthrin for 15%, endosulfan for 14%, dicofol/tetradifon for 13%, clofentezine for 10% and abamectin for 10% of the acaricide-treated area. In terms of area treated "other pesticides" accounted for less than 1% of total pesticide use, however by weight they comprised 49% of the total tonnage of pesticides applied. The most important active substances were methyl bromide, metam-sodium and dazomet, comprising 99% of the weight of "other pesticides". Since 1993 the overall pesticide-treated area has increased by 15% and since 1981 by 13%. However, in terms of the weight of pesticides applied there had been an increase of 8% since the last survey and a decrease of 21% since 1981. The overall rate of application of all pesticides has fallen from 2.51 kg/hectare in 1981 to 1.73 kg/hectare in 1997. The area treated as a percentage of the area grown increased from 663% in 1993 to 753% in this survey, but had fallen from 884% in 1981. 1

INTRODUCTION

The Advisory Committee on Pesticides advises government on all aspects of pesticide use. In order to discharge this function the Committee must regularly monitor the usage of all pesticides. It needs accurate data on the usage of individual pesticides.

As part of the ongoing process for obtaining data, the Pesticide Usage Survey Groups of the Central Science Laboratory, an executive agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food, and the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency, an agency of the Scottish Office of Agriculture, Environment & Fisheries Department conducted a survey of pesticide usage in hardy nursery stock in 1997 by visiting holdings throughout Great Britain during the winter of 1997/98.

This was the fifth survey of pesticide usage solely on hardy nursery stock carried out by the Pesticide Usage Survey Groups. Previous surveys have been reported for 1993 in Great Britain (Garthwaite & Thomas, 1995) and 1981 in England & Wales (Sly & Umpelby, 1983) and Scotland (McNeil, 1985) and for 1971 & 1976 (Greaves et al., 1979), which included comparable data for 1976 in Scotland.

All surveys of pesticide usage in agriculture and horticulture are now fully co-ordinated by the two survey groups and present reports of pesticide usage throughout Great Britain. Information on all aspects of pesticide usage in Great Britain plus the MAFF regions of England & Wales can be obtained from the Pesticide Usage Survey Group at the Central Science Laboratory, Sand Hutton. Further data related specifically to Scotland can be obtained from the Pesticide Usage Survey Group at the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency, Edinburgh.

A list of the most recently published reports is included in the Appendix.

2

METHODS

The samples of holdings to be surveyed were selected using data from the Agricultural Census Returns for England & Wales, June 1996 (Anon., 1997a) and for Scotland, June 1996 (Anon., 1997b) based on the distribution of hardy nursery stock in Great Britain.

The samples were drawn so as to represent the area of hardy nursery stock grown throughout England, Scotland and Wales. For England & Wales the sample was selected within each of the six former MAFF regions (Fig. 1) and in Scotland the country was divided into 11 land use regions (Wood, 1931). The samples were stratified according to the total area of all hardy nursery stock grown in each region and by holding size group based on the total area of hardy nursery stock grown on each holding.

For the purposes of this survey the total area of hardy nursery stock was taken as the sum of the areas of the following crops: fruit stock, roses, ornamental trees, shrubs etc., herbaceous perennials, mixed areas and Christmas trees.

An introductory letter was sent to the occupiers of the selected holdings explaining the purpose of the survey. A total of 324 holdings were visited during the winter of 1997/98 and data collected during a personal interview with the grower conducted by an experienced pesticide usage surveyor. Where a holding listed in the original sample was unable to provide data it was replaced with another from the same size group and region, held on a reserve list.

This survey includes usage of pesticides on outdoor hardy nursery stock only. Treatments made under glass or polythene during the propagation or early stages of the crop are covered fully in surveys of protected ornamental crops, the most recent one being Pesticide Usage Survey Report 136, Protected Crops (Edible and Ornamental) 1995.

Propagation of hardy nursery stock conducted in field situations is included in this survey. Usage at garden centres or other retail outlets not recognised as agricultural/horticultural holdings were excluded from this survey, however retail outlets and wholesale operations submitting June Census returns are included.

3

Fig. 1 Counties in MAFF regions of England & Wales and regions covered by SOAFD Scotland

Scotland Borders Central Dumfries & Galloway Fife Grampian Highlands & Islands Lothian Strathclyde Tayside

Northern Cumbria Cleveland Durham Humberside Northumberland North Yorkshire South Yorkshire Tyne & Wear West Yorkshire

Midlands & Western Cheshire Derbyshire Greater Manchester Hereford & Worcester Lancashire Leicestershire Merseyside Nottinghamshire Shropshire Staffordshire Warwickshire West Midlands

Eastern Bedfordshire Cambridgeshire Essex Hertfordshire Greater London (E) Lincolnshire Norfolk Northamptonshire Suffolk

Wales Clwyd Dyfed Gwent Gwynedd Mid Glamorgan Powys South Glamorgan West Glamorgan South Eastern Berkshire Buckinghamshire East Sussex Greater London (SE) Hampshire Kent Oxfordshire Surrey West Sussex

South Western Avon Cornwall Devon Dorset Gloucestershire Somerset Wiltshire

4

Raising factors

The pesticide usage data collected from each holding were raised by two factors to give an estimate of regional usage; the first factor being dependent on holding size group and region and the second dependent on crop area and region. The data were further adjusted by a third factor to give estimates of total pesticide usage related to the national cropping areas in Great Britain.

The raising factors were based on the areas of hardy nursery grown in 1997 as recorded in the June Agricultural Census Returns both for England & Wales (Anon., 1998a) and Scotland (Anon., 1998b).

The Questionnaire The questionnaire for the main part of the visit survey consisted of two forms, which were completed by an experienced pesticide usage surveyor during an interview with the grower.

Form 1 summarised the areas of hardy nursery stock grown on the designated holding during the 1997 season (≈ September 1996 to August 1997).

Form 2 recorded all aspects of pesticide usage on the individual crops grown on the holding in 1996/97, a separate form being used for each field. Chemicals applied prior to planting and those used to maintain non-cropped areas, such as pathways and gravel beds within the holding, were included. As these are subsequently associated with the production of that crop, they may appear as inappropriate uses. Certain agronomic details, which may have influenced pesticide usage (including the propagation method, the age of the crop, whether it was field or container grown, use of adjuvants and the volume of spray applied), were also recorded on form 2.

5

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION CROPS Information concerning seven types of hardy nursery stock crops and data on pesticide usage were collected from 965 examples grown on 324 holdings throughout Great Britain. The sample accounted for 35% of the total area of hardy nursery stock grown in Great Britain during the 1996/97 season. Stock plants as well as those grown for resale were included in this survey. Fruit stock included stone and pome fruit, bush fruit, cane fruit and strawberries for runner production. Seventy seven percent of fruit for stock plants or for sale was over one year old. Roses are normally grown on a two-year system with lifting occurring in the second year, this fact was borne out in this survey where approximately 55% of the crop was recorded as being less than one year old. The majority, 90%, of ornamental trees, which included both indigenous and non-indigenous species, was over one year old. Shrubs etc. included a wide variety of plant types and hundreds of species including conifers, hedging plants and ornamental shrubs, most of which, 73%, were over one year old. Herbaceous plants included wallflowers, gypsophila (not for cut flowers), paeonies, iris and hundreds of species of annual, biennial and perennial plants. Approximately 89% of herbaceous plants were less than one year old. The crop group "mixed areas" included container grown crops and small areas of field grown crops from all other categories. Less than a half, 48%, of the mixed areas recorded were less than one year old. Christmas trees, in line with other ornamental trees, were mainly over a year old, with only 7% of the area grown being less than this. With the exception of mixed areas all other crops were grown in field situations. The areas of each of the hardy nursery stock crops grown in the six MAFF regions of England & Wales and Scotland are shown in Table 1. Mixed areas accounted for 23% of the total area of crops grown in the survey, Christmas trees for a further 23%, ornamental trees 18%, shrubs etc., 14%, roses 10%, fruit stock 9% and areas restricted to herbaceous perennials the remainder. Approximately 77% of the area of hardy nursery stock was grown in three regions, Eastern, Midlands & Western and South Eastern with less than 10% being grown in each of the remaining four regions. The distribution of most of the crops was varied. Mixed areas, which accounted for the largest individual area of hardy nursery stock, were grown mainly in the Midlands & Western region 31%, Eastern 23% and South Eastern region 23%. Christmas trees represented the second largest group of hardy nursery stock with 27% being grown in the Midlands & Western region, 26% in Eastern region and 25% in South Eastern region. Thirty two percent of ornamental trees were grown in Midlands & Western region, 25% in South Eastern and 17% in Eastern region. Over 50% of both fruit stock and roses were grown in Eastern region. Field-grown herbaceous perennials, which accounted for only 4% of the total area of hardy nursery stock, were grown mainly in Midlands & Western (36%), Eastern region (30%) and South Eastern region (18%).

Table 1 Area of hardy nursery stock grown in Great Britain 1997 (hectares) Crop group

Northern

Midlands & Western

Eastern

South Eastern

South Western

Wales

Scotland

Great Britain

Fruit stock Roses Ornamental trees Shrubs etc. Herbaceous plants Mixed areas Christmas trees

7 11 74 99 13 175 191

78 187 483 246 126 617 536

418 534 258 122 106 465 524

162 90 375 316 64 456 499

23 15 150 107 40 225 183

54 . 28 219 1 48 36

33 23 159 94 . 25 8

776 860 1,527 1,203 351 2,010 1,978

All hardy nursery stock

570

2,273

2,427

1,962

743

386

342

8,705

6

OVERALL USAGE OF PESTICIDES

Pesticide usage on crops

The extent of pesticide usage varied with each crop group (Table 2). Fruit stock accounted for 22% of the pesticidetreated area, mixed areas 20%, Christmas trees 15%, roses 15%, ornamental trees 13%, shrubs etc. 11% and herbaceous plants 3%. However, this does not reflect the area of each crop grown as much as the frequency of applications made to each individual crop group.

The regional usage of pesticides related not only to the total area of crops grown in each region, but also to the crop groups grown within each region. For example Eastern region comprised 27% of the hardy nursery stock area but, because of the relatively large areas of fruit stock and mixed areas grown, accounted for 37% of the pesticide-treated area. Similarly South Eastern and Midlands & Western regions accounted for a further 26% and 25% of the pesticidetreated area respectively.

The importance of each pesticide group varied from crop to crop. Usage of herbicides, the major pesticide group, accounted for 22% of the herbicide-treated area on Christmas trees,, on mixed areas for a further 20% and on fruit stock for 18%. Fungicides, the second major pesticide group, were used on 30% of fruit stock, 22% on both roses and mixed areas, 12% on ornamental trees, 11% on shrubs etc. and 3% on the remainder. Insecticides were used mainly on five crop groups, Christmas trees, 21%, roses, 19%, mixed areas, 19%, ornamental trees, 16% and fruit stock 14%. The majority of acaricide usage was on Christmas trees, 36% and fruit stock 35%.

In terms of the total weight of active substances applied, the area treated with “other pesticides” influenced the amount used on any individual crop group. "Other pesticides" includes nematicides and soil sterilants, which have high rates of application, and therefore have a significant effect on the total weight of pesticides applied. Mixed areas accounted for 33% of the weight of pesticides applied to hardy nursery stock with 35% of the total being fungicides, applied mainly as a drench for Phytophthora control in container grown stock. Shrubs etc. comprised 20% of the weight applied, and fruit stock a further 18%, with most of this being due to the use of soil sterilants such as methyl bromide, dazomet and metam-sodium.

Proportion of crops treated

The percentage areas of each crop treated with the different pesticide groups are shown in Table 3 whilst the mean number of spray rounds, mean number of products and mean number of active substances applied to each crop are shown in Tables 4a, b and c.

Around 88% of all crops received some form of treatment, although the proportion left untreated varied from crop group to crop group. Ninety-nine percent of roses received some form of treatment, as did 99% of fruit stock, 91% of mixed areas and 87% of ornamental trees. In contrast, over 44% of herbaceous plants, 18% of Christmas trees and 17% of shrubs etc. remained untreated. On average, herbicides were used on 69% of all crops, insecticides on 44%, fungicides on 32% and acaricides on 16%. Overall, an average of nine sprays, twelve products and thirteen active substances were applied to hardy nursery stock crops.

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Herbicides were used on over 94% of roses, 92% of fruit stock, 69% of both shrubs etc. and Christmas trees and 61% of ornamental trees. On average three herbicide sprays, four products and almost five active substances were used. Usage of herbicides was most intensive on mixed areas, which received four sprays, over five products and six active substances. Herbaceous plants received the lowest number of herbicide applications with only two sprays, two products and three active substances applied on average.

Fungicides were used on 88% of fruit stock, 86% of roses, 26% of mixed areas and 25% of shrubs etc. On average, almost four sprays, four products and nearly five active substances were used on hardy nursery stock. However, the number of sprays applied ranged from eight on mixed areas to less than one on herbaceous plants. Mixed areas were additionally treated with seven products and eight active substances. Fruit stock received on average nearly five sprays, six products and six active substances and roses four sprays, almost five products and over five active substances.

Insecticides were used on over 82% of fruit stock, 69% of roses, 45% of mixed areas, 43% of Christmas trees and 32% of herbaceous plants. On average, crops were treated with two insecticidal sprays, two products and two active substances, reflecting the large number of single active substance insecticide formulations available. Fruit stock received the largest number of insecticidal treatments averaging three sprays, three products and three active substances, with roses receiving two sprays, three products and three active substances and ornamental trees receiving just two of each.

Acaricides were used on 16% of all crops, 60% of fruit stock and 22% of Christmas trees. On average, just over one acaricide spray, product and active substance was used on fruit stock.

On average, hardy nursery stock received less than one spray application, one product and one active substance of molluscicides & repellents and all "other pesticide" groups.

8

Table 2 Treated area of hardy nursery stock in Great Britain 1997 by crop group (spray hectares) Chemical group

Fruit stock

Roses

Ornamental trees

Shrubs etc.

Herbaceous plants

Mixed areas

Christmas trees

All crops

Acaricides

1,879

303

293

162

237

590

1,969

5,432

Fungicides

6,597

4,918

2,702

2,520

734

4,876

3

22,349

Growth regulators

.

.

.

.

.

76

52

128

Herbicides

4,520

2,398

3,287

3,635

674

5,023

5,555

25,092

Insecticides

1,925

2,564

2,166

928

461

2,530

2,814

13,387

.

.

.

.

53

182

.

236

66

17

61

94

3

223

1

463

14,987

10,199

8,508

7,339

2,162

13,499

10,393

67,088

Molluscicides & repellents Other pesticides All pesticides

Table 3 Usage of pesticides on hardy nursery stock in Great Britain 1997 - percentage area of crops treated with pesticides Crop group

Insecticides

Acaricides

Fungicides

Herbicides

Molluscicides & repellents

Other pesticides

Not treated

Fruit stock Roses Ornamental trees Shrubs etc. Herbaceous plants Mixed areas Christmas trees

82.3 69.0 27.6 26.9 31.9 45.2 42.5

60.4 11.2 8.0 9.0 . 9.1 22.3

87.6 86.3 21.4 25.3 3.6 25.6 < 0.1

91.7 94.6 61.4 69.1 49.7 50.7 69.0

. . . . 1.8 11.1 .

11.2 0.7 2.2 5.3 1.3 9.0 < 0.1

0.6 0.6 12.8 16.6 44.2 8.7 18.1

All crops (weighted mean)

44.3

16.2

32.1

68.8

2.2

2.2

12.0

Table 4a Usage of pesticides on hardy nursery stock in Great Britain 1997 - number of spray rounds1 applied to crops Crop group

Insecticides

Acaricides

Fungicides

Herbicides

Molluscicides & repellents

Other Pesticides

All pesticides

Fruit stock Roses Ornamental trees Shrubs etc. Herbaceous plants Mixed areas Christmas trees

3.1 2.2 2.2 1.5 0.2 2.6 1.3

1.2 0.3 0.4 0.2 . 0.5 0.4

4.5 4.1 2.2 2.2 0.3 6.6 < 0.1

3.2 2.2 3.0 3.0 2.0 4.2 2.2

. . . . 0.2 0.3 .

0.2 < 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.6 < 0.1

9.8 7.2 6.9 6.4 2.8 14.2 3.7

All crops (weighted mean)

2.2

0.5

3.8

3.2

0.1

0.3

9.1

Table 4b Usage of pesticides on hardy nursery stock in Great Britain 1997 - number of products applied to crops Crop group

Insecticides

Acaricides

Fungicides

Herbicides

Molluscicides & repellents

Other pesticides

All pesticides

Fruit stock Roses Ornamental trees Shrubs etc. Herbaceous plants Mixed areas Christmas trees

3.1 2.6 2.2 1.5 0.2 2.7 1.4

1.4 0.3 0.4 0.2 . 0.5 0.5

6.0 4.7 2.3 2.4 0.3 6.9 < 0.1

4.3 2.8 4.1 3.9 2.4 5.5 3.0

. . . . 0.2 0.3 .

0.2 < 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.6 < 0.1

15.0 10.4 9.1 8.2 3.2 16.4 4.9

All crops (weighted mean)

2.3

0.5

4.2

4.2

0.1

0.3

11.6

Table 4c Usage of pesticides on hardy nursery stock in Great Britain 1997 - number of active substances applied to crops Crop group

Insecticides

Acaricides

Fungicides

Herbicides

Molluscicides & repellents

Other pesticides

All pesticides

Fruit stock Roses Ornamental trees Shrubs etc. Herbaceous plants Mixed areas Christmas trees

3.1 2.6 2.2 1.5 0.2 2.8 1.4

1.4 0.5 0.5 0.2 . 0.6 0.7

6.2 5.4 2.5 2.7 0.3 8.1 < 0.1

4.6 2.8 4.3 4.0 3.4 6.3 3.0

. . . . 0.2 0.3 .

0.2 < 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.8 < 0.1

15.5 11.3 9.7 8.6 4.2 19.1 5.1

All crops (weighted mean)

2.4

0.6

4.8

4.6

0.1

0.3

12.8

1

indicates number of pesticide application occasions and may include applications of molluscicide granules or incorporation of insecticide granules in compost, as well as sprays

EXTENT AND QUANTITIES OF PESTICIDE FORMULATIONS USED

The estimated total areas of each crop treated in Great Britain with each pesticide formulation are illustrated in Table 5, whilst the estimated total quantities of formulated active substances used are shown in Table 6.

Herbicides accounted for 37% of the total pesticide-treated area of hardy nursery stock crops grown in Great Britain in 1997, fungicides 33%, insecticides 20%, acaricides 8%, “other pesticides” 1%, molluscicides & repellents and growth regulators less than one percent. In terms of weight of active substances applied "other pesticides" accounted for 45%, herbicides 24%, fungicides 18%, insecticides 7%, acaricides 1%, molluscicides & repellents 1% and growth regulators less than one percent.

Glyphosate was the most frequently used active substance, being used on 14% of the herbicide-treated area, with simazine 13%, isoxaben 10%, metazachlor 7%, and paraquat on 6%. In terms of weight applied, simazine accounted for 17%, glyphosate, 14%, oxadiazon 11%, dichlobenil 8%, metazachlor 7%, and propachlor 5% of the total.

The most extensively used fungicide formulations were myclobutanil 28%, fenpropimorph 10%, bupirimate/triforine 7%, bupirimate alone 7% and fenarimol on 6% of the area-treated. By weight applied fosetyl-aluminium, used primarily as a drench, was the principal fungicide formulation, accounting for 43% of the total weight of fungicides applied. Other major uses were of chlorothalonil and fenpropimorph, both accounting for 5% of the weight applied.

Organophosphates were the most extensively used insecticides, accounting for 39% of the insecticide-treated area, followed by carbamates 27%, pyrethroids 26% and organochlorines 5%. Five insecticides accounted for approximately 79% of the total insecticide-treated area of all hardy nursery stock crops: pirimicarb 27%, chlorpyrifos 14%, demeton-Smethyl 13%, cypermethrin 13% and deltamethrin 12%. However, chlorpyrifos, used as a granular incorporation for the control of vine weevil larvae, accounted for 58% of the total weight of insecticides applied.

Fenpropathrin accounted for 18% of the acaricide-treated area, bifenthrin for 15%, endosulfan for 14%, dicofol/tetradifon for 13%, clofentezine for 10% and abamectin for 10%. Endosulfan comprised 34% of the total weight of acaricides applied, with dicofol/tetradifon making up a further 31%.

In terms of area treated "other pesticides" accounted for less than 1% of total pesticide use, however by weight they comprised 45% of the total tonnage of pesticides applied. The most important active substances were methyl bromide, metam-sodium and dazomet, comprising 99% of the weight of "other pesticides".

11

Table 5 Usage of pesticides on hardy nursery stock grown in Great Britain, 1997 (spray hectares)

Insecticides Chlorpyrifos Cypermethrin Deltamethrin Deltamethrin/heptenophos Demeton-S-methyl Dimethoate Gamma-HCH Heptenophos Heptenophos/permethrin Lambda-cyhalothrin Malathion Nicotine Oxydemeton-methyl Permethrin Pirimicarb Pirimiphos-methyl Other1 insecticides2 All insecticides Acaricides Abamectin Bifenthrin Clofentezine Dicofol Dicofol/tetradifon Endosulfan Fenpropathrin Fenpyroximate Tebufenpyrad Tetradifon Other acaricides3 All acaricides

Fruit stock

Roses

Ornamental trees

Shrubs etc.

Herbaceous plants

Mixed areas

Christmas trees

All crops

1,169 65 53 . 283 30 8 1 . . . 21 . . 127 136

5 147 375 25 809 115 7 4 . . 51 25 38 1 962 1

86 249 311 4 340 66 12 32 . . 11 5 20 43 847 116

31 67 274 45 66 97 6 24 . 7 53 . . 50 181 21

. 258 2 . 142 . 57 . . . . . . . . .

604 293 233 12 87 61 31 143 100 125 98 44 52 3 376 152

25 641 317 . 52 59 506 30 . . 1 . . . 1,108 75

1,919 1,719 1,565 86 1,781 427 625 235 100 133 214 95 110 97 3,600 502

31 1,925

. 2,564

24 2,166

5 928

2 461

114 2,530

. 2,814

177 13,387

341 264 121 6 . 292 179 241 329 107 . 1,879

. 52 . . 149 . . . 102 . . 303

2 30 30 165 24 . 5 . . . 38 293

12 71 52 . 7 . 11 . . . 9 162

142 . . . 95 . . . . . . 237

42 262 96 . 156 1 1 . 7 . 24 590

. 153 260 . 252 493 790 . . 8 12 1,969

539 831 559 171 683 786 986 241 438 115 84 5,432

1

Throughout all tables, “Other” refers to chemicals grouped together because they were applied to less than 0.1% of the total area treated with pesticides

2

Other insecticides includes aldicarb, buprofezin, carbaryl, carbofuran, diazinon, diflubenzuron, fatty acids, fenitrothion, fonofos, imidacloprid, pyrethrins, rotenone, teflubenzuron, triazophos, trichlorfon & vamidothion

3

Other acaricides includes amitraz, cyhexatin & fenbutatin oxide

Table 5 (cont.) Usage of pesticides on hardy nursery stock grown in Great Britain, 1997 (spray hectares) Fruit stock

Roses

Ornamental trees

Shrubs etc.

Herbaceous plants

Mixed areas

Christmas trees

All crops

Molluscicides & repellents Metaldehyde

.

.

.

.

6

83

.

89

Methiocarb

.

.

.

.

47

88

.

135

Other molluscicides & repellents1

.

.

.

.

.

12

.

12

All molluscicides & repellents

.

.

.

.

53

182

.

236

Other growth regulators2

.

.

.

.

.

76

52

128

Other pesticides3 Biological control agents

Growth regulators

24

.

43

.

.

12

.

79

Disinfectants

.

.

.

48

.

46

.

93

Fungicide/insecticides

.

.

.

.

.

54

.

54

Nematicides

.

8

.

.

.

.

.

8

Pruning paints

4

.

.

.

.

.

.

4

Soil sterilants

16

9

13

42

3

12

1

95 91

Surface cleaners

.

.

.

.

.

91

.

Tar oils/acids

23

.

4

4

.

8

.

39

All other pesticides

67

17

60

94

3

223

1

463

1

Other molluscicides & repellents includes aluminium sulphate, sulphonated cod liver oil & ziram

2

Other growth regulators includes (Alkylaryl) trimethylammonium chloride, 4-indol-3-ylbutyric acid, captan/1-naphthylacetic acid, chlormequat, chlormequat/choline chloride, copper hydroxide, daminozide & paclobutrazol

3 Other pesticides includes Bacillus thuringiensis, bupirimate/pirimicarb/triforine, Chrysoperla carnea, dazomet, 1,3-dichloropropene, dihydroxyalkylamine, metam-sodium, methyl bromide, octhilinone, permethrin/sulphur/triforine, peroxyacetic acid, Phytoseiulus persimilis, potassium hydroxyquinoline sulphate, Steinernema feltiae, tar oils, tar acids & unspecified fungicides and insecticides

Table 5 (cont.) Usage of pesticides on hardy nursery stock grown in Great Britain, 1997 (spray hectares)

Fungicides Benomyl Bupirimate Bupirimate/triforine Carbendazim Carbendazim/flusilazole Carbendazim/prochloraz Chlorothalonil Copper oxychloride Cupric ammonium carbonate Dichlofluanid Dithianon Dodemorph Dodine Epoxiconazole Fenarimol Fenbuconazole Fenpropimorph Fluazinam Fosetyl-aluminium Furalaxyl Imazalil Iprodione Mancozeb Mancozeb/metalaxyl Myclobutanil Oxycarboxin Penconazole Prochloraz Propiconazole Pyrifenox Pyrimethanil Sulphur Thiram Triadimenol Triforine Other fungicides1 All fungicides

Fruit stock

Roses

Ornamental trees

Shrubs etc.

Herbaceous plants

Mixed areas

Christmas trees

All crops

. 378 57 261 . . 9 108 14 191 152 . 7 . 168 264 1,733 . . . . . 24 . 2,551 . 69 . . 118 360 21 9 . 19 84 6,597

38 379 401 188 6 . 1 . . . . 127 . . 313 . 273 105 76 1 . . 74 59 2,145 11 3 46 202 55 . 43 . 316 . 57 4,918

36 167 638 14 11 . 33 18 1 . 38 . 82 . 183 . 67 . 3 . 550 . 1 3 370 2 145 42 70 128 . 3 . 34 44 16 2,702

57 371 63 . 115 . 71 26 14 30 . 17 1 106 102 . 149 . 20 8 . 55 19 375 523 . 91 118 . 130 . . . 6 20 33 2,520

1 . . . . . 237 . 19 . . . . . 237 . . . . . . 142 . 95 . . . 1 1 . . . . . . . 734

118 198 478 140 . 93 266 29 258 341 33 44 14 . 260 . 25 15 326 77 24 173 27 28 673 98 73 445 20 204 31 2 69 6 2 287 4,876

1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3

251 1,492 1,637 604 133 93 617 180 306 563 224 188 103 106 1,263 264 2,246 119 426 86 575 371 144 559 6,262 112 382 653 293 635 391 69 77 361 85 479 22,349

1 Other fungicides benodanil, captan, captan/penconazole, carbendazim/maneb, carbendazim/maneb/sulphur, chlorothalonil/metalaxyl, copper oxychloride/metalaxyl, cymoxanil/mancozeb/oxadixyl, cyproconazole, cyproconazole/prochloraz, dimethomorph/mancozeb, dinocap, etridiazole, fenpropidin, fenpropimorph/kresoxim-methyl, flutriafol, formaldehyde, metalaxyl/thiram, propamocarb hydrochloride, tebuconazole, thiophanatemethyl, tolclofos-methyl, triadimefon, tridemorph & zineb

Table 5 (cont.) Usage of pesticides on hardy nursery stock grown in Great Britain, 1997 (spray hectares) Fruit stock

Roses

Ornamental trees

Shrubs etc.

Herbaceous plants

Mixed areas

Christmas trees

All crops

Herbicides 2,4-D/dicamba/triclopyr

.

.

19

3

47

3

1

72

Atrazine

3

523

75

48

.

1

234

884

Chlorthal-dimethyl

103

.

.

.

2

.

.

105

Clopyralid

217

41

5

118

136

.

585

1,101

Cyanazine

.

.

10

67

.

.

198

275

Cycloxydim

5

37

.

.

.

.

110

152

Dichlobenil

126

8

26

38

.

22

211

430

Diquat/paraquat

160

42

178

51

2

127

.

559

2

.

109

70

4

30

172

387

Fluazifop-P-butyl

109

12

2

8

.

30

45

206

Glufosinate-ammonium

347

2

238

337

.

77

11

1,012

Diuron

Glyphosate

90

204

504

458

63

536

1,623

3,477

Isoxaben

454

74

289

306

25

1,099

325

2,572

Lenacil

199

.

17

35

26

52

3

331

Linuron

.

.

11

.

.

82

.

94

Linuron/trifluralin

.

.

.

.

.

.

76

76

Metazachlor

148

693

294

182

.

434

84

1,835

Napropamide

102

1

14

93

15

28

65

319

6

48

168

290

.

859

287

1,657 1,553

Oxadiazon Paraquat

86

56

379

284

69

603

77

Pendimethalin

112

14

168

136

.

62

196

689

Phenmedipham

989

2

.

106

.

20

135

1,253 433

Propachlor

204

.

1

.

60

78

89

Propaquizafop

128

.

2

1

.

.

60

192

Propyzamide

99

43

297

420

5

527

173

1,563

Simazine

770

572

424

527

48

202

693

3,236

Trifluralin

21

.

.

.

172

.

19

212

Other herbicides1

39

26

57

59

.

152

84

416

4,520

2,398

3,287

3,635

674

5,023

5,555

25,092

All herbicides

1 Other herbicides includes 2,4-D, amitrole, amitrole/2,4-D/diuron, amitrole/diquat/paraquat/simazine, asulam, bromacil, bromoxynil/ioxynil, carbetamide, chlorotoluron, chloroxuron, clopyralid/triclopyr, dicamba/MCPA/mecoprop, dicamba/mecoprop/triclopyr, dichlorophen, diflufenican/isoproturon, diflufenican/trifluralin, diphenamid, diquat, diuron/paraquat, fluroxypyr, fomesafen, MCPA, MCPB, mecoprop, metamitron, pentanochlor, pyridate, sethoxydim & triclopyr

Table 6 Usage of pesticides on hardy nursery stock grown in Great Britain, 1997 (kg active substance applied)

Insecticides Chlorpyrifos Cypermethrin Deltamethrin Deltamethrin/heptenophos Demeton-S-methyl Dimethoate Gamma-HCH Heptenophos Heptenophos/permethrin Lambda-cyhalothrin Malathion Nicotine Oxydemeton-methyl Permethrin Pirimicarb Pirimiphos-methyl Other insecticides1 All insecticides Acaricides Abamectin Bifenthrin Clofentezine Dicofol Dicofol/tetradifon Endosulfan Fenpropathrin Fenpyroximate Tebufenpyrad Tetradifon Other acaricides2 All acaricides

Fruit stock

Roses

Ornamental trees

Shrubs etc.

Herbaceous plants

Mixed areas

Christmas trees

All crops

644 1 . . 69 20 3 1 . . . 11 . . 30 309 162 1,250

3 3 4 3 184 46 8 1 . . 64 2 9 . 160 1 . 488

46 4 2 . 76 16 3 7 . . 14 3 10 1 225 90 25 521

21 5 3 5 43 37 . 1 . . 107 . . 1 72 17 3 317

. 10 . . 26 . 16 . . . . . . . . . 1 53

4,204 10 2 2 34 19 6 30 3 3 96 33 25 . 70 126 411 5,072

12 14 4 . 14 25 390 17 . . 1 . . . 259 57 . 792

4,929 46 15 11 447 163 426 58 3 3 281 48 44 2 816 599 603 8,493

2 8 19 6 . 162 11 24 32 19 . 284

. 1 . . 138 . . . 5 . . 144

. 1 6 163 25 . . . . . 20 216

. 2 4 . 2 . 1 . . . 1 11

. . . . 17 . . . . . . 17

. 6 18 . 43 1 . . 2 . 3 73

. 2 42 . 235 345 97 . . 2 6 730

3 22 89 169 460 508 110 24 38 22 31 1,476

1

Other insecticides includes aldicarb, buprofezin, carbaryl, carbofuran, diazinon, diflubenzuron, fatty acids, fenitrothion, fonofos, imidacloprid, pyrethrins, rotenone, teflubenzuron, triazophos, trichlorfon & vamidothion

2

Other acaricides includes amitraz, cyhexatin & fenbutatin oxide

Table 6 (cont.) Usage of pesticides on hardy nursery stock grown in Great Britain, 1997 (kg active substance applied) Fruit stock

Roses

Ornamental trees

Shrubs etc.

Herbaceous plants

Mixed areas

Christmas trees

All crops 61

Molluscicides & repellents Metaldehyde

.

.

.

.

11

50

.

Methiocarb

.

.

.

.

10

21

.

31

Other molluscicides & repellents1

.

.

.

.

.

608

.

608

All molluscicides & repellents

.

.

.

.

21

679

.

700

Other growth regulators2

.

.

.

.

.

405

131

535

Other pesticides3 Biological control agents

1

.

10

.

.

.

.

12

Disinfectants

.

.

.

.

.

135

.

135

Growth regulators

Fungicide/insecticides

.

.

.

.

.

3

.

3

Nematicides

.

1,995

.

.

.

.

.

1,995

Pruning paints Soil sterilants Surface cleaners Tar oils/acids All other pesticides