Sustainability assessment of crop protection systems: SustainOS methodology and its application for apple orchards

2012 ◽  
Vol 113 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrik Mouron ◽  
Bart Heijne ◽  
Andreas Naef ◽  
Jörn Strassemeyer ◽  
Frank Hayer ◽  
...  

The application of preparations of biological origin in the protection system of soybean grown under conditions of intensive irrigated crop rotations conforms to the modern tendencies of science and production development. The use of them contributes to solving ecological, production and social-economic problems. The study presents the three-year research on the efficiency of systems protecting soybean from pests and diseases based on biological and chemical preparations. The research was conducted in typical soil and climate conditions of the South of Ukraine. Zonal agricultural methods and generally accepted research methodology were used. The purpose of the research was to create a soybean protection system based on preparations of biological origin, ensuring high productivity of high-quality products reducing a negative impact of the crop production on the environment. The study emphasizes that, under irrigated conditions of the South of Ukraine, the application of biological preparations has a positive impact on the indexes of growth, development and formation of the elements of soybean yield structure. There was an increase in the crop biological weight by 13.8 % and 22.1 % and the number of seeds per plant rose by 11.6 and 14.6 % as a consequence of eliminating harmful organisms with the plant protection systems. The larger ground mass was formed by medium-ripe varieties Danai and Svyatogor, on which the increase from protection measures was higher. Weight 1000 pcs. the seeds did not undergo significant changes. It is established that the larger seeds were formed by Danaya and Svyatogor varieties, in which the average weight is 1000 pcs. seeds were 142 and 136 g, respectively, while in the variety Diona this figure was 133 g. There was an increase in the height of the lowest pod when the total plant height rose. For medium-ripe varieties was characterized by a higher attachment of beans, where the highest values of this indicator acquired in the variety Svyatogor. The medium maturing soybean variety Danaia formed the maximum yield of 3.23 and 3.35 t/ha respectively, when biological and chemical protection systems were applied. The research establishes that the application of the bio-fungicide Psevdobakterin 2 (2.0 l/ha) in the crop protection system at the beginning of soybean flowering and the bio-fungicide Baktofit (2.5 l/ha) with the bio-insecticide Lepidotsid-BTU (10.0 l/ha) at the beginning of pod formation does not reduce the productivity of the soybean varieties under study considerably, when compared to the application of chemical preparations. The research determines that the soybean protection system under study ensures a decrease in the coefficient of soybean water uptake by 7.2-13.0 %, increasing the total water intake to an inconsiderable degree. Biologization of the soybean crop protection system leads to a reduction in production costs compared to the chemical protection system. Taking into account the needs for the collection of additional products, costs increase by an average of 1 thousand UAH/ha, while for chemical protection systems by 1.8 thousand UAH/ha. At the same time, the cost is reduced by 220-360 UAH/t and the profitability of growing crops is increased by 3.8-7.8 %. There has been a reduction in the burden of pesticides on the environment and the production of cleaner products. This indicates the prospect of using the biofungicides Pseudobacterin 2 and Bactophyte and the bioinsecticide Lepidocid-BTU on soybeans to protect plants from pests.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 1799-1801

Crop damage due to the animal attack is one among the the principle dangers in diminishing the crop yield. The farm areas near the forest edges are unmistakably suffering from the wild animal attacks.. This surveys various methods used in many application for crop Security to redirect animal interruptions in the crop field. Most of these models in the crop field are outfitted with PIR sensors, sound creating gadgets, light flashers and some equipment module. For early discovery of the animal at the edge of the ranch interruption location framework should be introduced. Animal section at the homestead limit can be distinguished by certain hubs fixed at the limit and can be imparted to the focal base station. The progression of the center point commencement is zone based, time based and closeness based. On accepting this data the hubs inside the region of the animal actuates the hindering devices and diverts the animal far away from the area.


2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucia Recchia ◽  
Daniele Sarri ◽  
Marco Rimediotti ◽  
Paolo Boncinelli ◽  
Enrico Cini ◽  
...  

During the last decades in Italy the wine sector focused on the environmental sustainability of the production processes, including the agricultural, the agro-industrial and the packaging phases. Recent surveys highlighted that the wine consumers are interested in the environmental certifications, even if they are not familiar with them. Several environmental pressures can be evaluated in the viticulture phase, but an elevated number of the analysed impacts require the collection of a large set of input data and significant efforts during the elaboration phase. Therefore, the aim of the present work was the identification of the inventory data and impacts, which mainly describe the environmental pressures associated with the viticulture phase. Particularly, the results of the life cycle assessment (LCA) were integrated with those of a model and a simplified approach for evaluating the risks due to the pesticides use. The LCA identified three phases, which are responsible of 70-80% of the CO2eq (CO2 equivalent), the cumulated energy utilisation, the acidification potential (expressed in SO2 equivalent) and the eutrophication (expressed in PO4 equivalent), i.e. the harvesting, the crop protection and the ligature. The phase of the pesticides use was analysed also through the pesticides risk indicator (PERI) model and a simplified approach elaborated by the Regional Agency for the Environment Protection in Tuscany, Italy. Results concerning the environmental risk showed that the PERI model, the Arpat approach and the LCA were coherent for the pesticide mix highlighting that the associated environmental risk is more than doubled from 2004 to 2010. Finally, some operative indications were elaborated in order to reduce the impacts and improve the local and global environmental sustainability of the viticulture phase.


2020 ◽  
Vol 113 (4) ◽  
pp. 1725-1734 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy C Leskey ◽  
Brent D Short ◽  
Dalton Ludwick

Abstract Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) has been managed primarily with broad-spectrum insecticides in orchard systems. Recently, IPM techniques have been developed specifically for managing H. halys in apple orchards to reduce insecticide inputs and take advantage of its perimeter-driven behavior. In 2015 and 2016, we compared these IPM tactics to one another and an untreated control to measure differences in overall crop protection and insecticide inputs. Tactics included trap-based threshold-triggered spray applications, perimeter-based attract-and-kill (AK) trees treated every 7- and 14-d, and perimeter spray applications applied every 7- and 14-d. All plots were monitored with baited black pyramid traps deployed in plot interiors. In both years, mean number of H. halys captured in untreated control plot traps was significantly greater than plots managed using IPM tactics. In 2015, significantly more insecticide applications were made in 7- and 14-d perimeter and AK plots compared with trap-based threshold plots. There was no significant difference in the percentage of injured fruit in plot interiors among IPM tactics; all were significantly lower than the control. In 2016, significantly more insecticide applications were made in 7-d perimeter spray and AK plots compared with all other treatments. Significantly less injury was detected in plot interiors for 7- and 14-d perimeter and trap-based threshold plots compared with the control and 7- and 14-d AK plots. Although all IPM tactics reduced H. halys injury in apples using a trap-based treatment threshold required fewer insecticide inputs and only during brief periods of the season, while all others required season-long maintenance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 312
Author(s):  
Johannes Rüdisser ◽  
Erich Tasser ◽  
Thomas Peham ◽  
Erwin Meyer ◽  
Ulrike Tappeiner

Earthworm activities affect the provision of many ecosystem services. Land use can strongly influence earthworm communities and, hence related soil functions. We assessed earthworm biomass, abundance, and species composition on grasslands, apple orchards, and vineyards in the context of an existing sustainability assessment tool in South Tyrol, Italy. A stratified sampling campaign revealed significant differences in earthworm distribution. We found 21 to 700 individuals m−2 in grasslands and surprisingly abundant earthworm communities in apple orchards (14 to 382 individuals m−2). Results for vineyards were ambiguous with no or very low abundance in 47% of the vineyards and a maximum of 396 individuals m−2. Mesohumic endogeic species were the most abundant functional group observed (75% of the biomass in grasslands, 50% in apple orchards and vineyards). Aporrectodea caliginosa was the most abundant endogeic species, Lumbricus rubellus the dominant polyhumic endogeic species in all land-use types. We estimated a total of 34,900 t of earthworm biomass on agricultural areas in South Tyrol corresponding to a total value of EUR 872 million. Although soil quality is a complex concept that cannot be captured with a single indicator, earthworms are suitable and feasible indicators for sustainable soil use at the landscape scale.


2014 ◽  
Vol 369 (1642) ◽  
pp. 20140053 ◽  
Author(s):  
John A. Pickett ◽  
Gudbjorg I. Aradottír ◽  
Michael A. Birkett ◽  
Toby J. A. Bruce ◽  
Antony M. Hooper ◽  
...  

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