Summary
A survey of the pesticide usage practices of top fruit growers, in Northern Ireland in 1992, indicated that 17.25 tonnes of pesticide active ingredients were applied to 24,945 spray hectares. Information was collected from 115 growers, representing 25% of the total number of holdings and 54% of the total area of top fruit grown. Approximately 95% of all top fruit crops were grown in County Armagh. Fruiting Bramley apple orchards accounted for 87% of the total top fruits grown.

Overall, regional pesticide usage approximated to the areas of top fruit grown in each county and the pesticide-treated area of individual crop types was related to the area of each crop grown. Pesticides were applied to 96% of the total area of top fruit crops with a mean of twelve applications.

Fungicides were applied to 81% of the pesticide-treated area, accounting for 79% of the weight of pesticides applied. Myclobutanil, captan, penconazole, dithianon and mancozeb were the five most commonly recorded fungicide active ingredients, applied exclusively to control apple scab (Venturia inaequalis). Captan and penconazole were applied primarily in formulations, together, or with other fungicides.

Insecticides and acaricides, applied to 15% of the pesticide-treated area, accounted for 16% of the total pesticide usage, by weight. The three insecticide active ingredients most extensively used were chlorpyrifos, fenitrothion and pirimiphosmethyl. The acaricides dicofol and tetradifon were primarily used together in formulation.

Herbicides were applied to 3% of the pesticide-treated area, accounting for 5% of the weight of pesticides applied. Glyphosate and paraquat were the herbicide active ingredients most frequently used for general weed control.

Growth regulators accounted for less than 1% of the total pesticide usage in area of application and weight applied. The two growth regulator active ingredients recorded were, paclobutrazol and daminozide.

None of the top fruit growers in the survey used biological pest and disease control agents.

A total of 68 products, comprising 51 active ingredients were recorded in the 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