Is the possibility of replacing seed dressings containing neonicotinoids with other means of protection viable in major Polish agricultural crops?

摘要

Following the limitations regarding the use of the neonicotinoids: clothianidin, thiamethoxam and imidacloprid there are no currently available insecticide seed dressings for oilseed rape in Poland. For maize here is only one seed dressing containingmethiocarb available with a very narrow registered scope of use. The impact of limitations on protection possibilities of other major Polish agricultural crops is either negligible or non-existent. In consequence a group of economically important insectpests of maize |dungbeetles (Melolonthidae); click beetles (Elateridae); noctuid moths (Agrotinae)| and oilseed rape [leaf miners (Agromyzidae), turnip sawfly (Athalia colibri Christ.), cabbage weevils (Curculionidae), cabbage root fly (Hylemyia brassicae Bche.), diamond-back moth (Piutella maculipennis Curt.)| is left without any legal possibility of chemical control. For the other important pests of the early growth stage of oilseed rape development, there are only pyrethroids available together withone product containing chloropiryfos that can be applied once per vegetation season. Since both maize and oilseed rape are grown in Poland on the area of approximately 1 million ha (each crop), this situation raises concerns about production possibilities as well as development of pest resistance.