Factors contributing to overuse of pesticides in western China

Xu, Rui; Rong-ping, Kuang; Pay, Even; Dou, Hong; Snoo, G.R. de

doi:10.1080/15693430802346543

Cited by 47 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 10 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…In this research, a reduction of 10%-15% in farmers' overall use of pesticides was achieved via farmers' knowledge improvement. Similar findings have been reported by Idris et al [17], Xu et al [28], and Togbé et al [29]. Technical and operational aspects are the other main criteria for pesticide use.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 80%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Farmers’ Criteria for Pesticide Selection and Use in the Pest Control Process

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Chemical pesticides have been widely overused by farmers in Iran, but farmers' criteria for pesticide selection and use are not well understood. A field survey of 411 farmers was carried out in Mazandaran, Iran, to study farmers' criteria for selecting and using pesticides in the pest control process and explaining differences in selection criteria among farmers. From a list with a total of 25 criteria, five main groups were identified as key decision criteria for pesticide selection and use, using factor analysis. These groups included: (i) performance and effectiveness criteria, (ii) awareness and information criteria, (iii) technical and operational criteria, (iv) environmental criteria, and (v) financial and accessibility criteria. Performance and effectiveness criteria had the highest importance for farmers when selecting and using pesticides (mean 3.45), followed by financial and accessibility criteria (mean 3.28). Farmers who received training regarding pesticide use (mean 2.23 vs. 1.90) and farmers who had experience with integrated pest management (IPM) practices (mean 2.46 vs. 1.79) tended to consider environmental criteria when selecting and using pesticides. Similarly, farmers who experienced health risks related to working with pesticides (mean 2.0 vs. 1.77), farmers who used protection when spraying (mean 2.58 vs. 1.87), and farmers who knew about natural enemies of pests (mean 2.11 vs. 1.85) tended to consider environmental criteria when selecting and using pesticides. Farmers without off-farm income tended to consider financial and accessibility criteria more than farmers with off-farm income (mean 3.40 vs. 3.18). Farmers with college education favored awareness and information criteria, whereas experienced farmers favored the criteria of performance and effectiveness. Farmers with a high income showed a tendency to prefer performance and effectiveness criteria more than farmers with less income. Farmers who thought that pesticides are hazardous preferred environmental criteria more than farmers who thought that pesticides are not hazardous. Farmers who believed in the effectiveness of alternatives to chemical pest control (e.g., use of biological control, pheromone traps, or cultural control) preferred performance and effectiveness criteria less than farmers who believed no effectiveness or slight effectiveness of alternatives to chemical pest control. The findings provide useful information for better understanding factors affecting farmers' choices of pesticides and for improving future extension courses related to farmers' decisions about pesticide use.

show abstract

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 80%

“…Technical and operational aspects are the other main criteria for pesticide use. Technical factors may constrain farmers to use alternative chemical pesticides [28]. Simply put, since technical constraints can lead to misapplication [29], farmers generally show a tendency to choose pesticides that can be more easily handled and applied.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Farmers’ Criteria for Pesticide Selection and Use in the Pest Control Process

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Chinese farming is dominated by the household responsibility system of small family farms whose owners are often uneducated and lack access to agricultural extension personnel. As a result, the vast majority of farmers rely on high-dose chemical treatments for pest and weed management (Xu et al 2008). Although effective in controlling pest species, many of these insecticides also alter local food webs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1; CCM 2012). The low cost and high efficacy of these products further encourages small farmers in China to spray their way out of pest problems (Xu et al 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insecticides promote viral outbreaks by altering herbivore competition

Pan

Preisser

Chu

et al. 2015

Ecological Applications

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. While the management of biological invasions is often characterized by a series of single-species decisions, invasive species exist within larger food webs. These biotic interactions can alter the impact of control/eradication programs and may cause suppression efforts to inadvertently facilitate invasion spread and impact. We document the rapid replacement of the invasive Bemisia Middle East-Asia Minor I (MEAM1) cryptic biotype by the cryptic Mediterranean (MED) biotype throughout China and demonstrate that MED is more tolerant of insecticides and a better vector of tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) than MEAM1. While MEAM1 usually excludes MED under natural conditions, insecticide application reverses the MEAM1-MED competitive hierarchy and allows MED to exclude MEAM1. The insecticide-mediated success of MED has led to TYLCV outbreaks throughout China. Our work strongly supports the hypothesis that insecticide use in China reverses the MEAM1-MED competitive hierarchy and allows MED to displace MEAM1 in managed landscapes. By promoting the dominance of a Bemisia species that is a competent viral vector, insecticides thus increase the spread and impact of TYLCV in heterogeneous agroecosystems.

show abstract

“…Chronic overuse and misuse of agricultural pesticides characterizes crop production in many parts of Southeast Asia as well as in China, exposing farmers, consumers, and ecological systems to the risk of pesticides (Xu et al 2008;Schreinemachers et al 2011;Mazlan and Mumford 2005;Van Hoi et al 2009;Lamers et al 2011;Panuwet et al 2008). To address this problem, several countries in the region have recently introduced public standards of good agricultural practices (GAP) aimed at increasing the supply of safe and high quality food by promoting a more sustainable crop production that uses fewer pesticides.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can public GAP standards reduce agricultural pesticide use? The case of fruit and vegetable farming in northern Thailand

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In response to the chronic overuse and misuse of pesticides in agriculture, governments in Southeast Asia have sought to improve food safety by introducing public standards of good agricultural practices (GAP). Using quantitative farm-level data from an intensive horticultural production system in northern Thailand, we test if fruit and vegetable producers who follow the public GAP standard use fewer and less hazardous pesticides than producers who do not adhere to the standard. The results show that this is not the case. By drawing on qualitative data from expert interviews and an action research project with local litchi (''lychee'') producers we explain the underlying reasons for the absence of significant differences. The qualitative evidence points at poor implementation of farm auditing related to a program expansion that was too rapid, at a lack of understanding among farmers about the logic of the control points in the standard, and at a lack of alternatives given to farmers to manage their pest problems. We argue that by focusing on the testing of farm produce for pesticide residues, the public GAP program is paying too much attention to the consequences rather than the root cause of the pesticide problem; it needs to balance this by making a greater effort to change on-farm practices.

show abstract

Factors contributing to overuse of pesticides in western China

Cited by 47 publications

References 10 publications

Farmers’ Criteria for Pesticide Selection and Use in the Pest Control Process

Farmers’ Criteria for Pesticide Selection and Use in the Pest Control Process

Insecticides promote viral outbreaks by altering herbivore competition

Can public GAP standards reduce agricultural pesticide use? The case of fruit and vegetable farming in northern Thailand

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About