An alternative way to evaluate the environmental effects of integrated pest management: Pesticide risk indicators

Abstract

This study examines whether pesticide risk indicators can be used to evaluate the environmental effects of pesticide applications within integrated pest management (IPM) projects. Pesticide risk indicators, commonly used in European countries, are mathematical equations that consider data inputs such as application rates, toxicity levels of a pesticide's active ingredient, meteorological data, the soil characteristics of farm fields, and other information to generate potential risk scores for pesticide applications. These potential risk scores represent the best estimate of a pesticide's impact on the surrounding environment. This project analyzed eight pesticide risk indicators, developed throughout Europe and the United States, with two years of pesticide application data from four farms using IPM. This two-year study allowed for a determination of the validity and reliability of pesticide risk indicators. The findings reveal that only three pesticide risk indicators performed consistently and gave valid results. These indicators are: the synoptic evaluation model for plant protection agents (SYNOPS) indicator from Germany, the multi-attribute toxicity factor from the United States, and the environmental impact quotient from the United States. As a result, the authors recommend these three indicators for future research and for IPM evaluative efforts that emphasize the environmental effects of pesticides.

Evaluation of the Impact of Dyke on the Practice of Using Plant Protection Chemicals and the Environment Impact Quotation Index of Rice Cultivation Areas in Thap Muoi, Dong Thap Province

“…If farmer used many kind of pesticide, then EIQ Practical is the sum of EIQs of all pesticides used. An alternative way to evaluate the environmental effects of integrated pest management is use of pesticide risk indicators [9]. These indicators are: the synoptic evaluation model for plant protection agents (SYNOPS) indicator from Germany, the multi-attribute toxicity from the United States and the environmental impact quotation from the United States.…”

“…According to EIQ values list updated on Cornell University's website [9], we have collected and classified an EIQ Theory in study area as shown in Table 5 Using equation (1) with data collected through survey we can calculate EIQ Practical on fields of the 3 studied communes. The EIQ result shows that: My Dong (closed dyke) has EIQ value up to 167.02, Phu Dien (semi-dyke area) at 145.43, but Truong Xuan (non-embankment) is only 54.03, which indecates that the closed dyke and semi-dyke areas have EIQ much higher than non-embankment areas especially, the close dyke area has EIQ value over the safety limit set by Cornell University, 150.…”

Exposure Assessment of Pesticides to Farmworkers in Terms of Autoimmune System (Case Study: Farmers in Cibeureum Village, Kertasari District)

“…Determination of the factors that affect the magnitude of pesticides impact is important to note. Determining factors are aiming to get a real relationship between the concentration of pesticide exposure to human impact is included in order to discover solutions of impact prevention [8]. In this study, a factor that is observed is the uptake of organophosphat and carbamate pesticides in the body's absorption of farmers, working experience, age, nutritional status (BMI) and smoking habits.…”

Genetic Engineering and Sustainable Crop Disease Management: Opportunities for Case-by-Case Decision-Making

“…Pesticide use raises significant concerns over impacts on health [2][3][4][5][6][7] and the environment [8][9][10][11][12]. Furthermore, we cannot address the challenges to sustainability posed by synthetic pesticides by simply switching to the application of natural pesticides, because the same concerns apply to them [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19].…”