A short description is given of 19 laboratory, 12 semi‐field and 5 field methods to test the side‐effects of pesticides on beneficial organisms. The methods were developed according to standard guidelines by members of the Working Group ‘Pesticides and Beneficial Organisms’ of the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC), West Palaearctic Regional Section (WPRS); 28 members in nine countries participated and the beneficial organisms (natural enemies of insects and mites) included: 6 Hymenoptera, 4 Coleoptera, 2 Diptera, 1 Neuroptera, 1 Heteroptera, 3 Acari, 1 Aranea, 1 entomopathogenic fungus (Hyphomycetes). There is agreement that a combination of laboratory, semi‐field and field tests is needed to show the side‐effects of pesticides on beneficial organisms and that the beneficials chosen for the test should be relevant to the crop on which the pesticide is to be used.

Results are presented of laboratory, semi‐field and field tests to assess the side effects of pesticides on beneficial organisms obtained during the third testing programme of the Working Group “Pesticides and Beneficial Organisms” of the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC), West Palaearctic Regional Section (WPRS). The programme included 22 pesticides, 19 beneficial organisms, and was carried out by 19 group members in 9 European countries. Beside the results of the third testing programme, data on the side effects of 62 pesticides tested in all three joint programmes carried out between 1977 and 1985 are summarized in 7 different croporientated tables. These tables include beneficial organisms that are relevant to, and pesticides that are used on (a) vegetable crops (especially Brassica spp.), (b) glasshouse crops, (c) top fruit, (d) cereals, (e) root and forage crops (sugar‐beet, potato, rape, corn), (f) vine and (g) forestry. Among the 62 pesticides tested, the following 25 compounds were of limited persistence and/or were relatively less toxic to the natural enemies tested: Dipel (Bacillus thuringiensis), Torque (fenbutatin oxide, AAzomate (benzoximate), Dimilin (diflubenzuron), Tedion V 18 (tetradifon), Kelthane (dicofol), Spruzit‐Nova‐flüssig (pyrethrum + piperonylbutoxide), Pirimor‐Granulat (pirimicarb), Nimrod (bupirimate), Bayleton (triadimefon), Ronilan (vinclozolin), Orthocid 83 (captan), Cercobin‐M (thiophanat‐methyl), Ortho Difolatan (captafol), Derosal (carbendazim), Daconil 500 (chlorothalonil), Plondrel (ditalimfos), Pomarsol forte (thiram), Dithane Ultra (mancozeb), Illoxan (diclofop‐methyl), Semeron (desmetryn), Betanal (phenmedipham), Kerb 50 W (propyzamid), Cycocel Extra (chlormequat), Rhodofix (naphthyl acetic acid). Zusammenfassung Ergebnisse des dritten gemeinsamen Prüfungsprogrammes für Pflanzenschutzmittel der IOBC/WRPS‐Arbeitsgruppe “Pflanzenschutzmittel und Nutzorganismen” Im Rahmen eines dritten gemeinsamen Prüfprogrammes der Arbeitsgruppe “Pflanzenschutzmittel und Nutzorganismen” der Internationalen Organisation für Biologische Schädlingsbekämpfung wurden Pflanzenschutzmittel in Labor‐, Halbfreiland‐ und Freilandprüfverfahren auf Nebenwirkungen gegenüber Nutzorganismen getestet. Die Ergebnisse der Prüfungen von 22 Präparaten an 19 verschiedenen Nutzorganismen, die von 19 Gruppenmitgliedern in 9 europäischen Ländern erarbeitet wurden, werden dargestellt. In dieser Arbeit sind außerdem die bisher in drei gemeinsamen Prüfprogrammen erzielten Ergebnisse von insgesamt 62 Präparaten in 7 verschiedenen, auf Kulturen bezogenen, Tabellen zusammengefaßt. In diesen Tabellen sind nur solche Präparate bzw. Nutzorganismen angegeben, die in den entsprechenden Kulturen bzw. Kulturgruppen angewandt werden bzw. dort von Bedeutung sind. Es wurden Tabellen erstellt für Gemüse im Freiland, Gemüse unter Glas, Obst, Getreide, Hackfrüchte + Futterpflanzen, Weinbau und Forst.

The side effects of 9 insecticides, 8 fungicides and 4 herbicides on 19 different beneficial arthropods and 1 entomopathogenic fungus were tested by the IOBC/WPRS Working Group “Pesticides and Beneficial Organisms”. Twenty research workers from 13 countries participated. A combination of 5 different types of test methods was used: a. laboratory, exposed life stage of the organism, b. laboratory, less exposed life stage, c. semi‐field, initial toxicity, d. semi‐field, persistence (duration of harmful activity), e. field. Although nearly all the insecticides tested were harmful to most of the beneficial insects tested, especially in the first test, few of them were shown to be less harmful or less persistent in further testing. The fungicides Milgo‐E (ethirimol) and Trimidal EC (nuarimol) which are used on cereal crops as well as Rubigan Vloeibaar (fenarimol) and Ortho‐Phaltan 50 (folpet) which are used in fruit orchards were found to be harmless to all beneficial organisms relevant for these crops tested in the experiments and can be recommended for use in integrated control programmes. With different predatory mites, there was clear agreement between the results of laboratory, semi‐field and field experiments. The insecticides Asepta Nexion (bromophos), Birlane EC 40 (chlorfenvinphos), Dursban Spritzpulver (chlorpyrifos), Ambush C (cypermethrin), Basudine Vloeibaar (diazinon), Perfekthion (dimethoate), Phosdrine W 10 (mevinphos), Dimecron 20 (phosphamidon), Hostathion (triazophos) as well as the fungicide Polyram‐Combi (metiram) were found to be harmful to predatory mites in all types of tests. The fungicides Milgo‐E (ethirimol), Corbel (fenpropimorph) and Trimidal EC (nuarimol) were harmless. The agreement of results between the laboratory, semi‐field and field tests indicated that, at least with predatory mites, reliable results can also be expected on the harmfulness of pesticides from laboratory experiments. The results also showed that 6 insecticides, 1 fungicide and 2 herbicides were harmless to the entomopathogenic fungus Verticillium lecanii. Zusammenfassung Ergebnisse des vierten gemeinsamen Prüfprogrammes von Pflanzenschutzmitteln durch die IOBC/WPRS‐Arbeitsgruppe “Pflanzenschutzmittel und Nutzorganismen” Neun Insektizide, 8 Fungizide und 4 Herbizide wurden auf Nebenwirkungen gegenüber 19 verschiedenen Nutzarthropoden und einem entomopathogenen Pilz von Mitgliedern der internationalen IOBC/WPRS‐Arbeitsgruppe “Pflanzenschutzmittel und Nutzorganismen” geprüft. An diesen Versuchen nahmen 20 Wissenschaftler aus 13 Ländern teil. Eine Kombination folgender 5 Arten von Prüfmethoden fand hierbei Verwendung: a. Labor, stark gefährdete Nützlingsstadien, b. Labor, weniger gefährdete Nützlingsstadien, c. Halbfreiland, Initialwirkung, d. Halbfreiland, Persistenz (Schadwirkungsdauer), e. Freiland. Während fast alle geprüften Insektizide gegenüber den meisten Nutzinsekten stark schädigend waren, besonders im Test a., konnte in weiteren Prüfungen bei einigen Präparaten ein geringerer Schädigungsgrad bzw. eine ...

No abstract

A method is described for testing adverse effects of pesticides on the predacious mite Arnblyseius potentillae GARMAN in the laboratory. It complies with the terms of the W.P.R.S./I.O.B.C. Working Group "Pesticides and Beneficial Arthropods" with respect to such methods. Twenty commercial pesticides were tested on the predator as part of a joint pesticide test programme of the Working Group.The integration of biological control of noxious insects and mites with chemical control of other arthropod pests and fungal diseases can only be successful if the pesticides used in the spray programme leave the biological control agents unharmed or at least do not affect them too seriously. Therefore, knowledge about possible adverse effects of pesticides on predators and parasites used in crop protection is of paramount importance.In 1974 the Working Group "Pesticides and Beneficial Arthropods" was set up by W.P.R.S./I.O.B.C. The aims of the Working Group are to develop standardized laboratory test methods for measuring the effects of pesticides on predacious and parasitic insects and mites, and to apply such tests in order to provide workers in integrated control as well as the general public with information 'about side effects of pesticides to such beneficial arthropods (see FRANZ et aL, 1980). It is clear that because of the different nature of the various beneficial arthropods, each species will require a specifically designed test method. Nevertheless, the Working Group recommended a certain standardization of'test methods in order to compare results, namely : (~) the arthropod must be exposed to a fresh dry pesticide film on an inert surface to measure initial contact toxicity, (2) avoidance of accumulation of pesticide fumes in the test cages, (3) usage of laboratory bred beneficials, (4) application of formulated preparations at the highest concentration advised for use in the field, and (5) the decrease in performance of the test beneficials must be measured rather than mortality alone; this includes predation capacity or effectiveness as a parasite, and fertility in comparison to untreated individuals (FRANZ, t978). The results of such tests will be rated into 4 classes depicting the degree of reduction of beneficial performance: <50 % = harmless (class 1), 50 --80 % = slightly harmful (class 2), 80 --99 % = moderately harmful (class 3), ~99 % = harmful (class 4).In the present paper a method is described for testing pesticides on the predacious mite, Amblyseius potentillae GARMAN. Twenty pesticides were tested on this species