The mushroom industry in Northern Ireland employs the ‘Satellite Bag-growing System’ and in 1991 generated an output value of £16.5m. There are 296 growers with a total of 1272 growing houses comprising 106 hectares.

A survey of pesticide usage practices within the mushroom industry in Northern Ireland in 1991 indicated that 4.8 tonnes of pesticide active ingredients and 2.5 tonnes of disinfectant chemicals were applied to 400 and 107 spray hectares, respectively. Data were collected from 101 growers representing 34% of all mushroom growers in Northern Ireland in 1991. Counties Armagh and Tyrone collectively accounted for 66% of the total area of mushroom production.

Overall, regional pesticide usage approximated to the areas of mushroom crops grown in each county. The total growing area was treated with pesticide and disinfectant with a mean of four and one applications, respectively.

Insecticides were applied to 56% of the pesticide-treated area, accounting for 44% of the total pesticide usage by weight. Formulations containing pyrethrins and resmethrin were the most extensively used insecticides. The active ingredients diflubenzuron and diazinon were also commonly used.

Fungicides were applied to 41% of the pesticide-treated area, accounting for 44% of the weight of pesticide used. The four fungicide active ingredients recorded in the survey were prochloraz, formaldehyde, benomyl and thiabendazole.

The fungicide/insecticide mixture formulation formaldehyde and ?-HCH, used primarily in house sterilisation, accounted for only 2% of the total pesticide-treated area representing 11% of the total weight of pesticides applied.

Rodenticides used in only 3% of the mushroom production area, accounted for less than 1% of the total area treated with pesticides and the weight of pesticides applied. Warfarin was the only rodenticide active ingredient identified.

A total of 15 pesticides and 9 disinfectants, comprising 14 and 6 active ingredients, respectively, were recorded in this survey.

A full list of published reports is available together with abstracts from other relevant published work.

For further information on this work please contact:

Pesticide Usage Survey Group
Agri-food and Biosciences Institute
Newforge Lane
Belfast BT9 5PX

Email: pesticide.science@afbini.gov.uk
Tel: +44 (0)28 90 255689
Fax: +44 (0)28 90 255035