Summary
This survey examined pesticide usage practices on grassland and fodder crops at 306 farms throughout Northern Ireland in 1993 providing comparative data to that obtained in a previous survey in 1989. The sample represented 2.4% of the total area of grassland and fodder crops and the quantitative data obtained was adjusted to provide estimates of total pesticide usage. A total of 134.9 tonnes of pesticides were applied to 91,529 spray hectares of grassland and fodder crops during 1993. Overall, the area of grassland and fodder crops grown had declined by 9.6% and the proportional area receiving pesticide treatment was reduced by 17% in the four-year period. This was mainly due to a decline in the use of seed treatments, fungicides and insecticides. Herbicide use increased by 16% and consequently, the total quantity of pesticides applied increased by 9% over this period.

Less then 5% of the grassland areas used for hay production, enclosed and rough grazing received pesticide treatment. In contrast pesticides were applied, mainly as seed treatments, to the entire areas of arable silage and fodder kale crops. Owing to the decline in the use of other pesticide groups the proportional area treated with herbicides had increased from 67% in 1989 to 93% in 1993.

A total of forty-six products comprising thirty active ingredients were recorded in this survey. The most frequently recorded active ingredients were MCPA and mecoprop, and a six-fold increase in the use of mecoprop-P was also observed.

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