Assessing availability of European plant protection product data: an example evaluating basic area treated

Abstract

Besides the benefits of plant protection products (PPPs) for agricultural production, there is an increasing acknowledgement of the associated potential environmental risks. Here, we examine the feasibility of summarizing the extent of PPP usage at the country level, using Ireland as a case study, as well as at the European level. We used the area over which PPPs are applied (basic area) as an example variable that is relevant to initially assess the geographic extent of environmental risk. In Irish agricultural systems, which are primarily grass-based, herbicides fluroxypyr and glyphosate are the most widely applied active substances (ASs) in terms of basic area, followed by the fungicides chlorothalonil and prothioconazole that are closely associated with arable crops. Although all EU countries are subject to Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009, which sets the obligation of PPP usage data reporting at the national level, we only found usable data that met our criteria for Estonia, Germany, Finland, and Spain (4 of 30 countries reviewed). Overall, the most widely applied fungicide and herbicide in terms of basic area were prothioconazole (20%, 7% and 5% of national cultivated areas of Germany, Estonia and Ireland) and glyphosate (11%, 8% and 5% of national cultivated areas of Spain, Estonia and Ireland) respectively, although evaluations using application frequency may result in the observation of different trends. Several recommendations are proposed to tackle current data gaps and deficiencies in accessibility and usability of pesticide usage data across the EU in order to better inform environmental risk assessment and promote evidence-based policymaking.

Contrasting effects of fungicide and herbicide active ingredients and their formulations on bumblebee learning and behaviour

“…Although our knowledge of fungicides and the potential implications of exposure to fungicides for bees is increasing, the fungicide prothioconazole is greatly understudied ( Cullen et al, 2019 ) and as such needs more research attention. This is particularly important as it is widely used ( López-Ballesteros, et al, 2022 ) and residues can be found in nectar and pollen ( Wallner, 2009 ; Roszko et al, 2016 ; Bokšová et al, 2021 ), thereby resulting in oral exposure of bees. We found there was consistently no impairment in learning ability caused by prothioconazole across experiments two and three, which provides strong evidence that prothioconazole may not cause reductions in olfactory learning.…”

“…We chose to investigate the impacts of the herbicide glyphosate and the fungicide prothioconazole on bees, as the most widely used herbicide and fungicide compounds in Ireland ( López-Ballesteros, et al, 2022 ). Glyphosate is also the most applied herbicide in the world (in terms of kg used; Benbrook, 2016 ), and is a broad-spectrum and non-selective herbicide employed for a variety of uses in agriculture, but also heavily used in domestic and amenity settings ( Duke and Powles, 2008 ).…”

“…Bees can also come into contact with glyphosate in the environment; for example, bees forage on plants treated with glyphosate and return nectar and pollen containing residues to their colony ( Thompson et al, 2014 ; 2022 ). Prothioconazole is a broad-spectrum fungicide, commonly applied to a variety of crops such as oilseed rape and cereals ( FAO, 2021 ), and is widely used across the EU ( López-Ballesteros et al, 2022 ). Residues of prothioconazole have also been measured in nectar and pollen collected by bees (see below).…”

Non‐neonicotinoid pesticides impact bumblebee activity and pollen provisioning

“…For example, the pyrethroids and organophosphates are projected to represent the highest ranked compounds with purely insecticidal properties in terms of application rate in the world (Maggi et al, 2019), and in some countries are already the number one most widely applied in terms of basic area (e.g. the pyrethroids in Ireland, López-Ballesteros et al, 2022;and the UK, FERA, 2020).…”

“…For example, the pyrethroids and organophosphates are projected to represent the highest ranked compounds with purely insecticidal properties in terms of application rate in the world (Maggi et al, 2019), and in some countries are already the number one most widely applied in terms of basic area (e.g. the pyrethroids in Ireland, López‐Ballesteros et al, 2022; and the UK, FERA, 2020). To date, beyond the standard lower tier LD50 ecotoxicological tests used for honeybees in pesticide registration, we know little about how these non‐neonicotinoid classes of insecticides may affect bees more generally (but see; Baron et al, 2014; Gill et al, 2012) and in particular whether they have any sublethal impacts.…”