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Report from the Sub-committee on Agriculture

 

 
Appendix 2
Crops where, for economic reasons, continued permission for use of pesticides in a +scenario should be considered. (This scenario includes 0+.)
Problem % loss and effect on contribution margin Background
16. Minimum control of potato blight in ware and starch potatoes 24% in ware potatoes 2 TFI increases CMII by DKK 7,500/ha
28% in starch potatoes 4 TFI increases CMII by DKK 2,700/ha		 Starch potatoes have a long production period, and it would be difficult to maintain the high yields that are needed to ensure profitability if some control of blight were not permitted (25,000 ha). Due to high prices for ware potatoes, some blight control could generally be defended on economic grounds (10-15,000 ha).
17. Seed-dressing and band spraying in beets and sugar beet Seed-dressing reduces losses by 10%=DKK 1,500
Band-spraying would give an advantage of DKK 9,000 compared with hand-hoeing.		 Manual weeding of beets is very costly and it is extremely uncertain whether the necessary manpower for a satisfactory result could be obtained. Band-spraying combined with inter-row cultivation could, at a cautious estimate, halve the need for herbicides. Beet seed would have to treated with a dressing agent to ensure reliable, uniform establishment and minimise pest problems in the establishment phase (111,000 ha with beets in all).
18. Controlling specific weeds in cereals (e.g. camomile and charlock) The additional yield from controlling dicotyledonous weeds in cereals is low.
The return per ha is relatively low – DKK 190-250/ha with a low dosage. 		Some of the species that are difficult to control mechanically are very sensitive to herbicides, e.g. charlock and camomile. Chemical control would increase cultivation security and reduce the need for mechanical weed control, which is the most risky form of control for this crop.
19. Controlling weeds in peas Peas are a crop that has difficulty in competing with weeds, and the way pea plants grow makes mechanical control difficult. It is estimated that the entire acreage with peas would need weed control – typically split application with reduced dosages. The sub-committee suggests using the smallest possible quantity of herbicide - corresponding to the ++scenario.
20. Controlling patches of perennial weeds such as thistles etc. 3 % of the cultivated acreage is deemed to need this. It is estimated that all crops benefit from this form of control. Control of certain perennial varieties is difficult and makes it impossible, for example, to grow second crops. Patch control of thistles etc. could obviate this problem.
21. Controlling grass weed on particularly contaminated land The loss from grass weed in winter cereals is often more than 15-20%. Full TFI must be used on acreages needing this. On some land there are serious problems with grass weeds such as loose silky bent and blackgrass. Experience with mechanical control is very uncertain. Particularly in the transitional phase, the changes in crop rotations are not expected to be adequate on contaminated land.
22. Controlling severe attacks of leaf disease in wheat and winter barley on the basis of warnings In wheat, losses of more than 15 % are common every other year, and a TFI of 0.5 is recommended.
In winter barley, losses of more than 15% are common every 4th year, and a TFI of 0.4 is recommended. 		Even if varieties with the best available resistance were grown, there could be years in which severe attacks of leaf diseases in cereals caused losses of more than 15-20 %. Heavy losses would be particularly likely in rainy growing seasons.
23. Controlling pollen beetle in spring rape in conditions in which the crop cannot compensate for attacks It is estimated that there is a loss of 25% on one quarter of the acreage. In drought conditions, among others, spring rape might not be able to compensate for attacks of pollen beetle. Control measures should therefore be taken to safeguard the crop.
24. Band-spraying with herbicides in maize With mechanical weed control, the crop loss will in many cases be more than 15-20%. The experience with mechanical weed control is uncertain. A combination of band-spray and inter-row cultivation would ensure a more stable coarse-fodder yield (45,000 ha).
25. Chemical control of couch grass in 1 in 10 years, combined with mechanical control Without effective control of couch grass, the yield loss can exceed 15% in crops that have difficulty in competing with this weed. Mechanical control of couch grass is very much less reliable than chemical control and is also dependent on the weather. Winter cereals, green fields and second crops reduce the options. Limited chemical treatment combined with mechanical control would increase cultivation security.
26. Controlling poisonous weeds, such as spring groundsel, in coarse fodder If the population of poisonous spring groundsel is large, the crop cannot be used for silage and hay. Spring groundsel has become an increasing problem since the introduction of set-aside acreage. On grassland, control may be necessary to prevent poisoning of cattle.
27. Controlling aphids in wheat and peas when the damage threshold has been exceeded The crop loss from aphids in peas is expected to exceed 15% on about 20% of the acreage.
The crop loss from aphids in spring barley is expected to exceed 15 % on about 12% of clayey soil and 6% of sandy soil.
The crop loss from aphids in wheat is expected to exceed 15% on around 10% of clayey soil.		 In some parts of the country – mainly on the islands - aphids can cause serious losses in cereals and peas. Control is recommended where it is certain that the damage thresholds have been exceeded.
28. Controlling snails and flea beetle in rape when the damage threshold has been exceeded Severe attacks can cause losses of more than 15% on around 5-10% of the acreage. There is only limited documentation of the need. In winter rape, snails and flea beetle cause serious problems in some seasons that might warrant the use of spraying to avoid the need to resow.
29. Controlling clover weevil in clover-grass production Attacks in clover-seed fields can often halve the clover-seed yield. The need is expected to be great on the entire acreage with clover. Clover weevil can be a serious problem that reduces still further the cultivation security of an already unreliable crop.
30. Prevention and control of diseases and pests in fruit growing, evaluated on the basis of the level of attack   Prevention and control of diseases and pests in fruit (apples, strawberries, blackcurrants, etc.) are needed to ensure a continued, good and stable Danish production.
31. Prevention and control of diseases and pests in vegetables, evaluated on the basis of the level of attack   Prevention and control of diseases and pests in vegetables on the basis of a need evaluation are needed to ensure continued, stable and competitive production.
32. Pre-harvest desiccation and prevention and control of fungal diseases in garden-seed crops

 

   For stable production of species of garden seed, prevention and control of fungal diseases are needed, together with pre-harvest desiccation, to ensure uniform maturation, which is often a condition for good-quality seed.