Effects Of Plant Protection Products Research Articles

Comparative Toxicities of Fungicide and Herbicide Formulations on Freshwater and Marine Species

The estimation of the toxic effects of plant protection products on non-target aquatic organisms is essential for risk assessment evaluation. In this study the acute toxicity of two fungicide and two herbicide formulations was determined in four marine species in comparison with the toxicity assessed for the freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna. From the study it is indicated that the marine crustacean species are effectively protected when acute toxicity data on Daphnia magna are used as surrogate for risk assessment while the comparative sensitivity of the unicellular green algae may vary considerably, depending on the mode of action of the specific formulation.

Phytotoxicity assessment

Phytotoxicity assessment

Effects of plant protection products on transformation processes

Effects of plant protection products on transformation processes

Influence of Soil Organic Carbon on Acute and Chronic Toxicity of Plant Protection Products to Poecilus cupreus (Coleoptera, Carabidae) Larvae (4 pp)

Background, Aims and Scope Variability of results from terrestrial ecotoxicological tests with arthropods demonstrate the importance of understanding the impact of soil composition has on the bioavailability of pollutants. Beside other soil parameters, the organic C content is known to be relevant to bioavailability. The aim of the present paper was to detect lethal and sublethal effects of plant protection products on soil-dwelling larvae of the carabid beetle Poecilus cupreus under different concentrations of soil organic C. The study was based on a familiar laboratory test method.

Environmental risk assessment scheme for plant protection products

Environmental risk assessment scheme for plant protection products

A laboratory test protocol to evaluate effects of plant protection products on mortality and reproduction of the predatory mitehypoaspis aculeifer canestrini (acari: laelapidae) in standard soil

We provide a test protocol to evaluate the effects of plant protection products on mortality and reproductive performance ofHypoaspis aculeifer (Acari: Laelapidae). The test design is in compliance with standard characteristics of extended laboratory studies as formulated by international expert panels dealing with non-target arthropod testing schemes. Potential effects on survival rates are evaluated by assessing mortality after an exposure period of 14 days that starts with protonymphs. The reproductive performance of surviving mites is studied by following the egg production of individually isolated females over a 7-day period. The hatching success of these eggs is assessed subsequently. Using several years’ data obtained from water control treatments, we propose criteria to evaluate the validity of individual experiments.

Microbiological tests of the effects of plant protection products in soil: experience and proposals to improve ecotoxicological significance

One objective of ecotoxicological testing of plant protection products within authorization procedures is to assess, under standardized conditions, potential risks for soil microorganisms. This is only possible if some essential conditions are considered. In the past 10 years, experience has been obtained, either from authorization procedures or ecotoxicological research, which may stimulate discussion of existing or planned test methods. This includes applied microbiological test parameters (e.g. sensitivity, significance), design of the tests (e.g. dosage, mode of application, reference compounds, soils, ecological conditions, incubation time) as well as the interpretation of results. The size of tests is necessarily reduced in routine authorization procedures as compared with those within ecotoxicological research and these tests must therefore be optimized and updated to reach sufficient efficiency. From our experience, the combination of biomass‐related microbial activities (e.g. substrate‐induced respiration, dehydrogenase activity) with nitrogen transformation (mineralization followed by nitrification) is especially useful to identify dose‐dependent effects.

Plant protection products: assessing the risk for terrestrial plants

The fundamental data requirements for the authorization of plant protection products and the inclusion of active ingredients in Annex I of Council Directive 91/414/EEC (Council Directive of 15 July 1991 referring to placing plant protection products on the market (91/414/EEC). Official Journal of European Communities L 230, 19 August 1991) are described in the Annexes II and III of this Directive. Definite instructions with regard to preconditions for implementation and methodology (guidelines) concerning investigations with terrestrial plants are deficient. In addition to that, the uniform principles for the registration of plant protection products in the Member States described in Annex VI of the directive do not include any criteria concerning the risk assessment for non-target plants. However, plant protection products often show effects on non-target plants which need to be assessed as a requirement for the authorisation of the product. Hence, the German Federal Environmental Agency has developed a tiered approach to assess the effects of plant protection products on non-terrestrial plants. The risk is assessed using the effect-concentration evaluated in ecotoxicological tests and the environmental concentration predicted by validated exposure models. To protect non-target plants in terrestrial ecosystems assessment factors need to be considered. In the future, the risk for terrestrial plants needs to be addressed, also with regard to the revision of the Annexes of Directive 91/414/EEC.

A european perspective on ecological risk assessment, illustrated by pesticide registration procedures in the united kingdom

AbstractThis paper reviews some of the principles and critical issues for ecological risk assessment applied to the effects of chemical contaminants, using pesticide registration in the United Kingdom as an example. This subject is topical in Europe due to initiatives for harmonization of registration procedures in the European Community, and recent advances in technical aspects of risk assessment. A distinction is drawn between contamination arising from deliberate, planned releases and accidental releases. In both cases, the emphasis is on the development of consistent yet flexible decision‐making procedures in which uncertainty is recognized and a role for expert judgment preserved. This approach allows for risk assessment tailored to the characteristics of particular chemicals and to the purposes of the assessment. A set of 10 issues that are important in the design and operation of decision‐making procedures is discussed. An outline is given of the way in which these procedures have been incorporated into a new scheme for the assessment of the environmental effects of plant protection products by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) and the Council of Europe. Criteria for deciding the acceptability of proposed chemical uses are described. Finally, some likely future developments for ecological risk assessment procedures in this field are discussed.