CRD/HSE announced by email at the end of November that these arrangements were to close at the end of 2020.
What Were the Long Term Arrangements of Use?
This was a scheme in which growers could by following a detailed set of rules extrapolate from an on-label use. Edible crops were removed from the scheme some time back leaving only ornamental plant production and a few other non-edible crop uses. The list of excluded active ingredients on which the scheme could operate had been increased at various times with the eventual aim of the UK regulator to phase out the arrangements.
Why have they gone?
They have gone because the arrangements lacked a clear legal base under the current pesticide regulations. CRD generated Extensions of Authorisation for Minor Use (EAMUs) for a number of uses the industry requested back at the time it was proposed to phase out the arrangements, however, in many cases the products on which requests were made have been lost and in other cases, EAMU requests were unsuccessful or only partially successful with restrictions applied.
What does this mean to growers of ornamental plants?
Growers may only use pesticides in accordance with label recommendations or where there is an Extension of Authorisation for Minor Use (EAMU).
Will this cause any problems for growers?
Quite possibly. There are some examples below of affected products.
Examples of lost uses from the scheme closure:
Systhane 20EW
This product may now only be used on ornamental plant production in accordance with EAMU 2026 of 2020 and use is restricted to container plants under permanent protection. The plant may not be handled for 6 days after treatment.
Aphox
This product may only be used on ornamental plant production in accordance with EAMU 4195 of 2019 and 4196 of 2019 and use is restricted to plants grown in containers under permanent protection.
Apollo
This product may only be used on ornamental plant production under EAMU 2082 of 2016 which restricts use to outdoors.
Pyrethrum 5EC
No uses on ornamental plant production are allowed.
Spruzit
Ornamental plant production is restricted to permanent protection with full enclosure as per the label.
Centurion Max
No uses in ornamental plant production are allowed.
Please be aware that these are only examples and many other products will be affected.
This information is only correct at the time of writing. Pesticide approvals and extension of authorisation for minor use (EAMU) change regularly.
Any use of any product outside the label is at the grower's own risk.
28/01/2021.
Aphidius wasps
At Fargro we offer a range of Aphidius parasitic wasps which actively searches for aphids by flying towards the scent of honeydew excreted by the host. When a suitable host is located the wasp will inject a single egg into the aphid using its ovipositor. The egg will take over the host turning the aphid into a golden mummy and the new wasp will eat its way out and emerge to then begin searching for further hosts to parasitise.
We offer a range of Aphidius species designed to target different aphid species, as different Aphidius species will have preference to select hosts.
Aphidoletes aphidimyza
This species is a predatory midge and very useful in targeting a range of aphid species including the larger bodied species. The ability to predate a wide variety of aphid species comes from its attack on the aphid, biting at the legs of the aphid and injecting a paralysing toxin and sucking out the contents of the aphid. Application of this predator can be between April and September for re-cycling generations; however, they can be used all year round if supplementary lighting is available.
Taegro protects ornamental crops by:
• Producing metabolites with disease suppressing qualities• Priming the plants disease defence mechanisms
• Competing for space and nutrients
Adalia bipunctata
A species of ladybird native to the UK. The adult beetle and larvae are both predatory and feed on most types of aphid and is a voracious predator able to be applied within protected environments and outdoors.
Chrysoperla carnea
Also known as lacewing, this predatory species is a very useful generalist predator effective at controlling established aphid populations, but also feeding on whitefly eggs and scales, thrips larvae, moth eggs, young mealybug nymphs and other small insects. This is a voracious predator with the adults able to fly enabling this species to actively search for pests across a growing area.
SB Plant Invigorator
When presented by a pest infestation it is important to determine what is required to bring the pest species under control and sometimes the answer is to spray with an insecticide. Integrating a spray alongside biologicals requires a product that will have a short persistence and is not going to harm the biologicals, effectively bringing the pest populations down to manageable levels for the biologicals to move in quickly on the remaining populations.
SB Plant Invigorator is a soft soap product, which has a physical mode of action covering and suffocating pests plugged into the crop. Once dried the product is harmless making for an effective product to include within an IPM programme.
The SBPI will also breakdown sooty moulds produced as a result of the honeydew excreted by aphids, also possessing a leaf washing effect for control of leaf diseases such as powdery mildew.