Reduce Pesticide Use Research Articles

Smallholder farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding agricultural inputs with a focus on agricultural biologicals

There is a general drive to reduce pesticide use owing to the potential negative effects of pesticides on the environment and human health. The EU Commission, for example, through its “Farm to Fork Strategy,” has proposed to decrease the use of hazardous chemical pesticides by 50% by 2030. In addition, smallholder farmers in low-income countries do not always follow pesticide safety precautions. This necessitates the introduction of low-risk crop protection strategies also suited for these farmers. Agricultural biologicals can substitute for, or at least partially replace hazardous chemical pesticides. While the market for and use of biologicals is growing quickly in industrialized countries, this practice remains limited in sub-Saharan Africa. To understand the reason behind the low adoption of biologicals, this study examined the knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward biologicals among 150 smallholder farmers in the Chole district in Ethiopia. All farmers used chemical pesticides and/or inorganic fertilizers to protect crops, improve yields, and comply with government regulations. The use of biologicals was, however, restricted to one group of biologicals, bio-fertilizers, which approximately 60% of farmers used, and no use of biologicals for plant protection was reported. Even though the understanding of the concept of biologicals was deemed high among respondents, the majority (90%) did not identify biologicals as safer alternatives to conventional agricultural inputs. More than half of the respondents (54%) did not recommend biologicals as safer alternatives to their colleagues. Nevertheless, even if the responding farmers did not perceive biologicals as risk-free, they had a positive attitude towards biologicals when it came to producing healthy food and increasing crop yields and incomes. In comparison to the positive attitude, farmers’ knowledge and practice of biologicals were generally low; thus, efforts are needed to create awareness among farmers.

Life-Cycle Assessment in Hydrangea Cultivation in Colombia and Their Cleaner Production Strategies

In the subregion of La Paz Province in eastern Antioquia, Colombia, hydrangea floriculture has boosted economic and social development, generating high value in the territory; however, there are still environmental gaps to be resolved to make it a sustainable activity. This study analyzed some environmental aspects of cultivation based on life-cycle assessment under ISO 14040/14044 standards. The functional unit defined was 1 kg of hydrangea stems grown on a small farm of 0.45 ha, and the limits selected were gate-to-gate. The environmental impacts were evaluated using the CML methodology, Umberto LCA + 10.0.03 software, and the Ecoinvent 3.8 database. The most significant contributors to these impacts were ozone depletion, terrestrial ecotoxicity, and photochemical oxidant formation, which come from the application and pretreatment of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, plant residue generation, and fossil resource materials, such as polymers and fuels. In addition, two cleaner production initiatives were considered: composting plant residues for fertilizer (the use of 100% and 50% composting) and integrated pest management with biological control and natural agents to reduce pesticide use (30% and 50% of chemical pesticides). And the integration of both actions, with 50% composting and 30% substitution of chemical pesticides, was considered. The environmental impacts were reduced by 19.63% and 9.97%, respectively, for composting, 6.62% and 11.03%, respectively, for biological control, and 16.59% for the integration of actions. The two alternatives allowed for improving the crop, contributing to the minimization of environmental impacts, optimizing the use of inputs and fertilizers, and contributing to the sustainable development of floriculture.

Reducing pest pressure and insecticide use by increasing hedgerows in the landscape

Reducing pesticide use while maintaining agricultural production is a key challenge. Ecological theory predicts that landscape simplification is likely to increase insect pest outbreaks and limit their control by natural enemies, and this situation could boost insecticide use. Some studies have indeed detected that simpler landscapes were associated with higher insecticide use, but very few have demonstrated that this association is caused by landscape effects on pest abundance. Here, we analysed insecticide use and pest pressure in response to landscape simplification across 557 arable farms across France. Accounting for potentially confounding covariates, we found that lower cover of hedgerows in the landscape, but not semi natural areas, were associated with higher on-farm insecticide use. We also found that greater hedgerow coverage was associated with lower aphid pest pressure. Specifically, increasing the landscape-scale cover of hedgerows from 1 % to 3 % meant that insecticide use was halved. These findings suggest that restoring hedgerow cover at the landscape scale should be targeted in order to speed-up the ecological intensification of agriculture.

Streptomyces rapamycinicus HCD1–10: An effective biocontrol actinomycetes against postharvest Chinese flat peach brown rot caused by Monilinia fructicola

Monilinia spp. causing brown rot are fungal pathogens producing severe losses in worldwide stone fruit production, with high economic relevance (M€ 1.7/year). There are three main fungal species: Monilinia laxa, M. fructigena and M. fructicola. The pathogen infects aerial parts of host plants with a variety of symptoms, including blighting of blossoms, cankers on woody tissues and rotting of fruits, although the prevalent fruit losses are in the postharvest phase. Fungicide sprays in pre- and postharvest periods are usually used to control Monilinia spp. but, in Europe, no fungicide fruit treatments are allowed after harvest. Many studies conducted in recent years have defined three main research fields within the alternative methods for postharvest brown rot control: (1) biological control sensu strictum with microbial antagonists; (2) use of natural bioactive compounds; and (3) use of physicochemical methods. Although the reviewed results have reported a significant reduction of pesticide use, a multidisciplinary approach is recommended in the future, where biological products will be combined with low-risk chemical fungicides, natural antimicrobial substances and other physical means for an integrated strategy to control brown rot.

Pesticide Application in Trinidadian Food Supply Chain: Food Safety and Sustainability Implications

The use of pesticides, although ensures crop protection and enables to achieve food security, often causes negative externalities for both human and the environment. This study sought to identify the factors that influence pesticide application in Trinidad, a major CARICOM nation, by conducting structured interviews with 174 farmers in eight municipal counties. The data were analysed using Ordered Probit Model. While gender and age showed no significant impact on pesticide use frequency, farm size and experience influenced application behaviours. Larger farms and experienced farmers displayed distinct patterns, calling for customized interventions. Notably, secondary and collegiate education was linked to reduced pesticide use, aligning with sustainability goals. Crop-specific trends were seen with an increase in the use of pesticides in the Solanaceae crop and leafy vegetables, underscoring the need for tailored approaches. Insect and weed issues had a limited impact, however, management of crop diseases was essential in reducing pesticide use. This study emphasizes the need for multi-disciplinary interventions that take into account the size of the farm, the level of experience, the level of education, and the types of crops grown in Trinidad, to promote the sustainable use of pesticides in agriculture. Such comprehensive strategies are essential for enhancing food safety and long-term sustainability of the Trinidad food supply chain, while also mitigating the negative externalities of pesticide application.

When pesticide reduction objectives meet business as usual: Possible impacts on the crop sector in Latvia

The European Union (EU) has set forth ambitious political objectives aimed at mitigating the adverse impacts of agriculture on climate, environment, and human health. Among the measures which are expected to help reach the goals, an important objective is significant reduction of pesticide usage, as outlined in the EU’s ”From Farm to Fork” strategy. This study seeks to assess the potential financial implications of the reduction of pesticide use, focusing on the major crops cultivated in Latvia. Scenario simulations have been conducted to examine the consequences of pesticide usage intensity on profitability, yields, and consumption of fertilisers. The evaluation encompasses winter and spring wheat, along with winter rapeseed, which account for 80% of the total pesticide usage in Latvia. It is assumed that farmers continue to produce the same crops, using their current level of knowledge and adjusting production technology to the reduced pesticides application rates. The analysis leads to the conclusion that in order to attain a reduction in pesticide use by 61% from the 2021 level (or 53% from the 2015–2017 level), the application rate of pesticides needs to be limited to 0.78 kg ha −1 of active substance for conventionally produced winter and spring wheat as well as winter rapeseed, and in addition to that the area used for these crops should be reduced by 33% (replaced with organic production). However, if the market prices of crops, the amount of public support and production costs do not change, the financial implications for the agricultural sector could be severe — yearly farm profit in the analysed sector could decrease by 41% or by EUR 130 mln.

Potential Improvement of an Air-Conveyor Sprayer Performance Using a Spray Controller in Pear Orchard

Highlights An orchard sprayer was equipped with a spray controller to monitor and manage the working conditions. Foliar deposits and losses of the optimized and conventional sprayer were tested on two different sized pear trees. No significant differences in leaf deposits were found between canopy positions with the optimized sprayer. Ground losses with the optimized sprayer in the target rows were 45% lower compared to the conventional sprayer. Abstract. Currently, mistblowers are the most common sprayer type used for pesticide application in orchards. However, maximizing canopy deposition with high application efficiency remained a challenge due to the intricate canopy structure. This study compares the performance of two air-conveyor sprayers on pear trees: a conventional sprayer and an optimized sprayer. The optimized sprayer was equipped with a spray controller that displays its operational conditions (forward speed, spraying pressure, etc.) during application through a user interface of the device. In addition, the controller was capable of recommending spray volume for an orchard with the operator’s inputs based on the Tree Row Volume (TRV) method. Two experimental blocks in two pear orchards, with different tree sizes referred to as 'small trees' and 'large trees', were designated to evaluate the foliage deposition and off-target losses of the two sprayers. The conventional sprayer applied a spray volume of 1160 L ha-1 on both orchards following the farmers' conventional procedure. In contrast, the spray volumes of the optimized sprayer were determined by the controller based on the TRV model, resulting in a reduction of 29% and 55% for the large and small pear trees, respectively. The foliar deposition of each block was sampled from five randomly selected trees in a central row, with leaves collected from nine different canopy positions for small trees and twelve positions for large trees. Petri dishes were placed on the ground to assess the ground losses. Poles with nylon threads were mounted at various positions to evaluate airborne drift. The results showed that the mean normalized foliar depositions of the optimized sprayer were 1.57 and 1.81 µg cm-2 / kg-1 tracer ha-1 for large and small trees, respectively, whereas with the conventional sprayer, the depositions were 0.85 and 2.11 µg cm-2 / kg-1 tracer ha-1 for large and small trees, respectively. The optimized sprayer achieved a more uniform deposition distribution throughout the canopy compared to the conventional sprayer, as no significant differences in foliage deposition were detected between positions with the optimized sprayer. The optimized sprayer was capable of providing higher normalized deposits than the conventional sprayer for the large trees with less application volume. In addition, the optimized sprayer reduced spray losses in the air by 10% and 64% compared to the conventional sprayer for small and large trees, respectively, whereas ground losses were diminished by 45% and 50%, respectively. The results of this study suggest that controlling sprayer parameters, along with the spray volume adjustment based on canopy characteristics, may increase foliar deposition and could reduce pesticide use, although its influences on off-target loss reduction were insignificant. Keywords: Air conveyor, Constant-rate application, Digital control, Off-target losses, Pear fruit, Pesticide spraying, Tree row volume.

Moving conservation agriculture from principles to a performance-based production system

Abstract Conservation agriculture (CA) is an approach to farming that is defined by three principles: (1) minimal soil disturbance (no-till), (2) crop diversity in time and space, and (3) soil coverage by crop residues and/or cover crops. These principles provide a roadmap to protect and improve soil. However, the narrow criteria for defining CA may fail to account for tradeoffs between soil health and other ecosystem services. A literature review of meta-analyses dealing with CA and an online survey in France were conducted to explore the implementation and performances of CA. Research on CA systems has focused on crop productivity and soil quality whereas research on other dimensions of cropping system sustainability are lacking. The effects of CA on other aspects of sustainability such as biodiversity and profitability are less prevalent in the literature. The online survey results show that 63% of respondents thought that CA helps reduce pesticide use, 91% that CA improves water use efficiency, and 77% that CA helps to store carbon and achieve the objectives of the 4 per 1000 international initiative. Given the prevalence and widespread support for CA, we advocate for moving CA from its current definition based on the means toward a definition that includes performance-based metrics that address different ecosystem services. CA has potential to help address challenges associated with climate change, biodiversity loss, and water pollution, but opportunities may be missed without developing performance targets that go beyond soil conservation.

Anthropogenic Pollution of Groundwater and Its trends in Malwa Region of Punjab: A Correlational Study with Cancer Incidence

Groundwater in the MALWA region of Punjab becomes contaminated because of excess use of fertilizers and pesticides. The objective of this study is to compare previous research and determine the trends related to consuming contaminated groundwater in various districts of the MALWA region and its potential correlation with cancer incidence on human health over the years. Data for this study was obtained from published articles and reports. For the statistical analysis, data for the “number of cancer cases” and concentration of “arsenic”, “fluoride” and “uranium” in groundwater are collected to check the correlation between metal concentration in groundwater and the number of cancer cases. From 2006 to 2023, an increase in cancer cases alongside fluctuations in arsenic, uranium, and fluoride levels were reported in previous studies. However, the strength and significance of this relationship vary across the different independent variables. For arsenic concentration, there is a moderate positive and uranium concentration shows a stronger positive correlation with cancer patients. Groundwater contamination poses serious health risks due to industrial waste, pesticides, and natural sources. Elevated levels of carcinogens like arsenic, uranium, and fluoride correlate positively with increased cancer cases. Urgent action is required to analyze and treat groundwater and reduce pesticide use. Also, implementing alternative water sources and toxin removal systems is crucial to safeguard public health.

Risco climático para ocorrência da ferrugem asiática da soja no Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul e Paraná

ABSTRACT Asian soybean rust is a primary factor affecting soybean production. Climate risk knowledge optimizes agricultural management, reduces pesticide use, and promotes environmental sustainability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the climatic risk of the occurrence of Asian soybean rust in the states of Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul, and Paraná, Brazil, verifying the months with temperature and relative air humidity that are more favorable for disease development. Hourly meteorological data were obtained from the National Institute of Meteorology, collected from 36 automatic weather stations in Mato Grosso state, 44 in Rio Grande do Sul state, and 26 in Paraná state, from the beginning of the operation until December 31, 2021. The climatic risk values for Asian soybean rust occurrence were calculated daily, obtained by the product of the response functions to leaf wetness duration and air temperature during this period. The average total climatic risk of Asian soybean rust occurrence in Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul, and Paraná states, was 44, 30, and 36%, respectively. Relative air humidity was the meteorological element with the greatest climatic risk for the development of the disease in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná, Brazil, and air temperature was the most limiting, the opposite was observed for the state of Mato Grosso, where air temperature was favorable and relative air humidity was more limiting.

The agroecological challenges in the wine sector: perceptions from European stakeholders

This article explores the issues surrounding the agroecological transition in the European wine industry, focusing on reducing pesticide use, developing organic certification and using genetic research in relation to resistant grape varieties. The study distinguishes between stakeholders from the wine industry, institutions and the agricultural research sector. The findings consistently identify the agroecological transition as a priority, particularly in terms of pesticide reduction. However, variations exist in the views of the surveyed stakeholders. French and Portuguese stakeholders emphasise the role of market and societal pressures as drivers of the transition, while Italian producers do not. Professionals in France and Portugal express doubts about achieving pesticide reduction through changes in practices, while others stress the importance of regulatory constraints. The research also highlights industry challenges such as decreased consumption due to health awareness and the need for social responsibility. Resistant grape varieties are seen as a viable solution, especially for the development of organic production, but market acceptability remains a significant hurdle. The study sheds light on stakeholder perspectives and challenges, thus contributing to a better understanding of priorities in the European wine industry’s pursuit of sustainable practices.

Design and test of Kinect-based variable spraying control system for orchards.

Target detection technology and variable-rate spraying technology are key technologies for achieving precise and efficient pesticide application. To address the issues of low efficiency and high working environment requirements in detecting tree information during variable spraying in orchards, this study has designed a variable spraying control system. The system employed a Kinect sensor to real-time detect the canopy volume of citrus trees and adjusted the duty cycle of solenoid valves by pulse width modulation to control the pesticide application. A canopy volume calculation method was proposed, and precision tests for volume detection were conducted, with a maximum relative error of 10.54% compared to manual measurements. A nozzle flow model was designed to determine the spray decision coefficient. When the duty cycle ranged from 30% to 90%, the correlation coefficient of the flow model exceeded 0.95, and the actual flow rate of the system was similar to the theoretical flow rate. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the spraying effectiveness of the variable spraying control system based on the Kinect sensor. The experimental results indicated that the variable spraying control system demonstrated good consistency between the theoretical spray volume and the actual spray volume. In deposition tests, compared to constant-rate spraying, the droplets under the variable-rate mode based on canopy volume exhibited higher deposition density. Although the amount of droplet deposit and coverage slightly decreased, they still met the requirements for spraying operation quality. Additionally, the variable-rate spray mode achieved the goal of reducing pesticide use, with a maximum pesticide saving rate of 57.14%. This study demonstrates the feasibility of the Kinect sensor in guiding spraying operations and provides a reference for their application in plant protection operations.

Sustainable Strategies for the Control of Pests in Coffee Crops

Coffee is a worldwide commodity, and both coffee-producing and coffee-consuming countries have real concerns about environmental problems and economic growth strategies based on the efficient use of resources. Because this crop is a perennial, pests can significantly affect coffee production, causing considerable yield losses and threatening coffee supply and security. The presence of insects and control strategies for coffee pests is becoming a challenge. Environmental sustainability, conservation of biodiversity, and safety of the coffee seed must go hand in hand with the economic sustainability of coffee growers. This is especially important, as there has been an increase in demand for coffee and new consumer interest in differentiated quality coffee. Regular pest control methods based only on the use of synthetic pesticides are no longer effective or sustainable due to the development of insecticide resistance and negative effects on the environment, human health, and biodiversity. Thus, to ensure better control and ecological sustainability, it is crucial to reduce pesticide use by adopting original alternative strategies to maintain pest populations below the economic threshold level and towards reaching the European Green Deal. In this review, we collect information available for sustainable control of the principal coffee pests in Colombia: coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei; Monalonion velezangeli; coffee root mealybugs; coffee leaf miner: Leucoptera coffeella; and the coffee red spider mite: Oligonychus yothersi. The control strategies include deep knowledge of the biology of insects and the coffee plant, their relationship with weather and habitats, as well as natural controllers. These control strategies do not involve the use of insecticides, are ecologically friendly and novel, and can be applied in other coffee-producing countries.

A Comprehensive Review on Biochar

Biochar from the pyrolysis of organic biomass is a highly porous carbon with many useful applications. While providing practical options for disposal and disease control, it also contributes to carbon sequestration by trapping carbon in plant biomass. The composition and structure of biochar depends on factors such as temperature, heating rate and production time. It also leads to bio-oil and biogas, which can be used for biochar production, electricity generation and the production of various chemicals. Incorporating biochar into the soil improves pH, electrical conductivity, water holding capacity, cation exchange capacity and microbial activity.It reduces nutrient leakage and all necessary fertilizers reduce environmental pollution. Biochar also plays an important role in crop improvement. Besides improving the soil, biochar also has the advantage of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing pesticide use and being used in the construction, cosmetics and treatment, wastewater and food industries. India is rich in biomass resources and has great potential for biochar production. This study explores various production technologies, their effects on biochar energy and the benefits of using biochar.

A conceptual framework linking ecosystem services, socio-ecological systems and socio-technical systems to understand the relational and spatial dynamics of the reduction of pesticide use in agrifood systems

CONTEXTReducing pesticide use is a challenging issue in the construction of sustainable agrifood systems. It requires innovations of various kinds at different scales. Reaching the objective of reduced pesticide use means that the different stakeholders which compose agrifood systems have to coordinate their actions in order to innovate. Dealing with the transformation process in agrifood systems therefore focuses attention on the context of the interactions between stakeholders. OBJECTIVEThis article sheds light on the dynamics and modes of interaction between stakeholders in order to help us to understand how agrifood systems may evolve in the context of agroecological transitions. Agrifood systems connect human and non-human dynamics from which production, processing, distribution and regulation activities emerge. Agrifood systems are therefore networks of stakeholders linked to agroecosystems and embedded in complex ecological, economic and social processes.We argue that the territorial scale is particularly relevant in describing the relational and spatial dynamics in agrifood systems and for understanding the diverse initiatives that emerge from stakeholders. This article therefore aims to provide a deeper understanding of the inter-relationship between the dynamics of stakeholders and the dynamics of ecosystems in agroecological transitions, and more specifically in the perspective of reduced pesticide use. METHODSSurveying the literature, we identified and compared three key frameworks that handle ecological and social issues, and help formalise the capacity for action to promote sustainable systems. The three approaches refer to (i) ecosystem services, (ii) socio-ecological systems and (iii) socio-technical systems. Each approach offers a partial analysis for unravelling specific scales of actions and fails to fully scrutinise the spatiality and temporality of stakeholder interventions. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSFrom these three approaches, we developed an integrative conceptual framework that relies on systemic, multi-stakeholder and multi-scale reasoning. The suggested approach grasps agrotechnical and socioeconomic concerns, links micro, macro and mesoeconomic levels, and enables a relational and spatial analysis of the dynamics of the ecologisation of agroecosystems to reduce pesticide use. SIGNIFICANCEBy identifying stakeholders and their roles in conceiving and implementing innovations, the suggested framework helps to understand the current sociotechnical lock-ins in agrifood systems and how such systems could be unlocked by coupling innovations implemented at different levels of agrifood systems. This means our approach should be useful in reinforcing capacity building and providing the support needed to improve transition processes.

Fostering temporal crop diversification to reduce pesticide use

Temporal crop diversification could reduce pesticide use by increasing the proportion of crops with low pesticide use (dilution effects) or enhancing the regulation of pests, weeds and diseases (regulation effects). Here, we use the French National DEPHY Network to compare pesticide use between 16 main crops (dilution effect) and to assess whether temporal crop taxonomic and functional diversification, as implemented in commercial farms specialized in arable field crops, could explain variability in total pesticide use within 16 main crops (regulation effect). The analyses are based on 14,556 crop observations belonging to 1334 contrasted cropping systems spanning the diversity of French climatic regions. We find that cropping systems with high temporal crop diversity generally include crops with low pesticide use. For several crops, total pesticide use is reduced under higher temporal crop functional diversity, temporal crop taxonomic diversity, or both. Higher cover crop frequency increases total pesticide use through an increase in herbicide use. Further studies are required to identify crop sequences that maximize regulation and dilution effects while achieving other facets of cropping system multiperformance.

Important pollinator species for conserving rare plant species endemic to San Clemente Island, California

Much effort has been spent on the conservation of rare, threatened, and endangered plants in the biodiversity hotspot of the California Floristic Province, however little is known about the identity of their pollinators. In this study we provide the first formal study on the identity of the invertebrate pollinators of five rare endemic island plant species from San Clemente Island, the southernmost of the California Channel Islands: Delphinium variegatum ssp kinkiense, Lithophragma maximum, Malacothamnus clementinus, Malva assurgentiflora ssp glabra, and Sibara filifolia. We surveyed plant-pollinator interactions at populations of each focal plant species using timed sweep-netting. We used pollinator capture data to compile bipartite interaction networks for each plant population, and calculated centrality indices (degree, betweenness centrality, and closeness centrality) of pollinators to identify species important to network stability. We found a significant effect of pollinator taxonomic group (fly, bee, wasp, or Lepidopteran) on some indices of pollinator centrality in interaction networks, and variation in pollinator centrality between different locations. Hoverflies, moths, and butterflies were important generalists with higher network centrality across all plant populations, while bees tended to be more specialists within their networks, except for the Malva assurgentiflora ssp glabra network, where bees were on average of higher centrality than flies. We recommend targeted restoration practices for future study that could support pollination both directly and indirectly to focal rare plant species of conservation interest across plant populations. These practices could augment general pollinator conservation best practices such as reducing pesticide use and planting native plant species to provide increased pollination to endangered plants.

Ecological and economic evaluation of conventional and new weed control techniques in row crops

The Farm to Fork strategy of the European Union aims to reduce pesticide use. In weed control, chemical measures are to be replaced mainly by mechanical ones. However, a comprehensive evaluation of mechanical methods with respect to ecological and economic parameters is not yet available. The aim of the study was to quantify relevant ecological and economic parameters of mechanical, mechanical-chemical and chemical weed control in sugar beet as a model crop. An overall consideration of the multidimensional risks for different conventional and new methods revealed that currently no method can be appraised as fully environmentally friendly. Toxicological risk assessment using the model SYNOPS-GIS indicated that broadcast spraying of conventional herbicides is associated with low toxicological risks in most soil-climate-regions and years. Broadcast spraying with herbicides such as CONVISO ONE, while beneficial for energy use, climatic effects, and toxicity to soil organisms, has the highest acute aquatic toxicity. Conventional mechanical methods, while toxicologically safe and, according to field trials, without negative effects on soil biota, soil erosion, or sugar yield, are associated with 100–150% higher greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional herbicide application. Overall, hoeing with a solar powered robot combined with herbicide spot spraying has the greatest advantages. This technique requires relatively low resource and energy consumption, produces about 5% lower greenhouse gas emissions and has by 87% lower toxicological risk than conventional herbicide spraying. Among pure mechanical techniques, the combination of a solar-driven hoe robot with hand-hoeing appears to be most economic and environmentally sustainable.

Drivers of Capia Pepper Farmers’ Intentions and Behaviors on Pesticide Use in Turkey: A Structural Equation Model

The main actors responsible for pesticide use behavior are farmers. Still, drivers are influencing the pesticide use behavior of farmers in the background. The Theory of Planned Behavior is a widely used concept that explains farmers’ pesticide use behavioral intention. However, prior literature shows that behavior is not included model mainly. As a novelty, it was investigated whether behavioral intention transforms into behavior in this study. Again in this context, it is the first study conducted in Turkey. Turkey is in the top three for pepper production in the world. Also, pepper is one of the products that use the most pesticides. This study aims to determine and explain capia pepper farmers’ pesticide reduction intention and pesticide use behaviors in Turkey. For this purpose, pesticide use behaviors of farmers in the province of Çanakkale, which ranks first in capia pepper production in Turkey, were modeled with the Structural Equation Modeling. Face-to-face surveys were conducted with 206 capia pepper farmers selected by random sampling method. Research results show that subjective norms and attitudes are important determinants of farmers' willingness to reduce pesticide use. Likewise, perceived behavioral control is a unique factor in farmers' use of pesticides. However, farmers' intentions to reduce pesticide use were not reflected in their actions. It is important to increase the awareness of farmers about pesticide behavior. Agricultural policy implications should be planned that target the perceived behavior, subjective norms, and attitudes of farmers.

Food for thought: Assessing the consumer welfare impacts of deploying irreversible, landscape-scale biotechnologies

Genetically engineered insects have gained attention as regionally deployed pest control technologies, with substantial applications in agriculture for combatting intractable crop pests and diseases. One potential tool is a ‘gene drive’, using CRISPR-based gene editing. In gene drive, preferentially inherited, engineered traits are spread throughout a geographic area to reduce pest populations or inhibit disease transmission, while also potentially reducing pesticide use and crop prices. But the self-perpetuating nature of gene drives presents a consequence, in that consumers could eventually be limited to only host crops grown in the presence of these genetically engineered insects. In this study, we analyze potential consumer welfare impacts of these technologies using discrete choice experiment data from a representative sample of U.S. adults, examining preferences regarding gene drive use to control spotted wing drosophila in blueberries and Asian citrus psyllid in orange juice (OJ) production. We find smaller average discounts for gene drives versus increased conventional pesticide use or genetically modified crops. Only 27% and 25% of blueberry and OJ consumers, respectively, are estimated to derive disutility from gene drives. However, gene drive disutility for these consumers is so large that elimination of non-drive options from their choice sets results in negative (blueberries) or neutral (OJ) effects to aggregate consumer welfare when weighed against gains to other consumers from reduced prices. Positive welfare effects are recovered by retaining availability of non-gene-drive products. We argue that this type of analysis will be increasingly important as landscape-level biotechnologies are deployed to address challenges to agricultural sustainability.