Location: Crop Improvement and Protection Research
2016 Annual Report
Objectives
Conduct laboratory and field tests to provide residue data needed to establish a tolerance on a specific commodity or to support a crop group tolerance. [NP 304, C2, PS 2A3 and C3, PS 3A2].
Approach
Research to suppport registrations of minor use pesticides. Apply pesticides
according to IR-4 protocol guidelines. Obtain performance data, phytotoxicity, yield and efficacy from treated and untreated field plots. Ship samples to laboratories for residue analyses. Protocols will be employed using appropriate Standard Operating Procedures and conducted under provisions outlined in 40CFR part 160 in accordances with EPA's Laboratory Practice Standards.
Progress Report
This report documents progress on the project 0500-00007-109-00D, "Minor Use Pesticide Testing on Vegetables and Sugar Crops," which started in October 2015 and continues research from project 0500-00007-106-00D.
Interregional Research Project #4 (IR-4) field trials are being conducted on 18 projects according to approved protocols developed by IR-4 Project Headquarters. Following local good agricultural practices for crop production, field testing is in progress on cool season vegetables and strawberries. A variety of pesticides are being evaluated in the field on these minor crops.
Commercially acceptable minor crops are being grown and sprayed according to the protocols with various test substances using small plot sprayers that simulate commercial application equipment. Crops are frequently monitored for phytotoxicity from application treatments and timing of sprays. Residue samples are collected at harvest and frozen until shipment to a designated analytical laboratory for residue analysis.
This season, one field trial is being conducted with the fungicide oxyathiapiprolin for use on strawberries. The IR-4 Program received a request for the minor use of oxyathiapiprolin for control of Phytophthora species (leather rot, red steele, crown rot) and Pythium (black root rot) on strawberries.
An insecticide field trial is planned for the fall on asparagus, using the insecticide flupyradifurone for control of European asparagus aphid. Two applications will be made to the fern stage of the crop at a 30 day interval, with the harvest occurring during the following spring.
Three herbicide trials are being conducted on green onions. Due to their slow germination and growth, herbicides for weed control are essential for commercially acceptable green onion stands. One trial is being undertaken with the herbicide fomesafen for control of annual broadleaf weeds. Another project involves two field trials on green onions in cooperation with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. A request was received for the minor use label expansion of bicyclopyrone on green onion, as both pre-emergence and post-emergence applications, for weed control.
Field trials with broccoli and cabbage have been planted for testing one herbicide and two fungicides. The herbicide fluzaifop-p-butyl is being applied to broccoli and cabbage field plots for control of grasses. The IR-4 Program has received a request for the minor use of the fungicide propamocarb-hcl on broccoli for control of Pythium root rot and downy mildew involving three test plots. The other project involves the fungicide ethaboxam and it is being applied to broccoli to control Peronospora parasitica (downy mildew), Pythium and Broccoli Root Rot, requiring three field plots.
The Salinas field site will manage yearly approximately 20 to 25 field residue trials on minor use crops over the next five years. The facility will provide treated and untreated samples to the laboratories for residue analysis, while continuing to produce quality scientific data in order to meet the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Good Laboratory Practice requirements for the IR-4 Program. The same milestones will be utilized over the five year period.
Accomplishments
None.
