Growers’ strongest weapon against wheat bulb fly and orange wheat blossom midge, chlorpyrifos, is under threat. But an industry-led campaign promoting new application guidelines is raising hopes that the product could continue to be re-registered, provided growers adopt them rapidly.

The “Say NO to Drift Campaign”, launched at the end of 2011, aims to encourage rapid uptake of key recommendations in a bid to give the Chemicals Regulation Directorate confidence to re-register the insecticide chlorpyrifos, if applied by a low-drift nozzle (LDN) and with 20m buffer zones alongside watercourses.

Having already secured strong backing from industry, the campaign was initiated by the three main approval holders of chlorpyrifos in the UK: Dow AgroSciences, Headland Agrochemicals (Cheminova) and Makhteshim Agan UK.

What products are at stake?

• Dursban WG/Govern/Parapet

• Equity

• Cyren

• Ballad

• Alpha Chlorpyrifos

• Pyrines

Why is it under review?

A new risk assessment of chlorpyrifos by the EU has revised the safe concentration level to 0.1 parts per billion in watercourses. In layman’s terms, that’s equivalent to a drop of ink in 10 large swimming pools.

What’s wrong with existing guidelines?

Existing no-spray buffer zones of 5m for a boom sprayer are no longer enough and, even if extended to 20m, using 03 flat fan nozzles at 2-bar pressure creates too much drift for this target to be achieved.

What is the aim of the campaign and how will it achieve results?

The campaign aim is to have 100% of chlorpyrifos applications applied using low drift nozzles (and the appropriate buffer zones) during 2012 – so proving industry support for continued use of chlorpyrifos under challenging regulatory conditions.

Operators are being urged to use LERAP 3* rated nozzles in order to achieve the new guidelines relating to the use of chlorpyrifos. Extensive studies show that using LERAP 3* rated low-drift (air-induction) nozzles, which give a minimum reduction in drift of 75%, in conjunction with 20m buffer zones next to watercourses will allow the new criteria can be met.

Nozzle advice cards, available online, have been developed by the “Chlorpyrifos: Say NO to Drift” initiative as part of a drive to see new application measures adopted to secure the future of the important industry insecticide. For a copy of the Nozzle Advice card, go online and follow the links.

Examples of 3* nozzles

Say NO to Drift Campaign at Cereals 2012

Following the introduction of new requirements for applications of insecticide chlorpyrifos for all 2012 treatments and beyond, the “Chlorpyrifos: Say NO to Drift” campaign stand at Cereals will focus on nozzle selection and the practicalities of these new requirements.

“Having tasked the industry with achieving wholesale change to the way the treatment is used and applied in crops through the use of extended no-spray buffer zones and adoption of LERAP three-star rated nozzles, Cereals will be a chance to explore the new measures with experts on hand,” says campaign manager, Lindsay Fogg of ADAS.

There are two CPD and two BASIS points available and operators, growers and agronomists are invited to test their knowledge on the stand and to calculate appropriate nozzle selections for chlorpyrifos applications, taking into account minimum application volume, forward speed and pressure.

“These are vital factors in ensuring strict new regulatory criteria are met – with the aim of enabling chlorpyrifos products to be re-registered and continue to be available on the market,” Ms Fogg adds.

“Chlorpyrifos: Say NO to DRIFT” will be located on stand SS101, next to Amazone, off the Sprays and Sprayers Arena. More information can be found online.