The European apple crop project

In 1993 a collaborative project (involving seven European countries) was initiated with the aim of improving the European apple crop by molecular aided breeding, to increase efficiency and reduce the time-scale in breeding for disease resistance, tree habit and fruit quality. The specific objective of the project is to respond to market demand for high quality apple varieties whilst reducing the use of pesticides. An additional goal of the project will be to develop apple progenies which can withstand environmental stress. What this will allow for is a reduction in the inputs required for apple production (in the form of irrigation equipment and excessive water use), and a reduction in the losses associated with frost. It will also allow for apple production to be extended into traditionally marginal areas. The project is entitled The Development of the European Apple Crop (DEAC).
    Pesticide use in European apple orchards is typically intensive, with up to 17 spray application per growing season. Economically the most significant apple pests are the plant pathogens mildew (Podosphaera leucotricha) and scab (Venturia inaequalis), which are airborne diseases causing epidemics in most years. At present insurance spraying tactics are the most effective way of controlling both scab and mildew. Unfortunately, apple crops must be treated before infection to prevent crop losses, as once scab and mildew are established then significant economic damage can follow. The pattern of pesticide use for these disease therefore must be preventative rather than curative. The European market in general demands high quality, blemish free fruit, and has a low tolerance of damage. Whilst small markets do exist for organically grown fruit, it is likely that the trend of mass consumption of high quality fruit will continue. The DEAC project seeks to respond to the market situation with regard to quality, and to develop apples that maintain acceptable standards without the need for insuance spraying practices.
    During the application of herbicides and fungicides, in order to control scab and mildew, it is normal procedure to mix insecticides, acaricides and nematicides in with these compounds to perform a multi-purpose spray application in one go. This greatly reduces the costs associated with insect pest control, making the adoption of alternative management tactics such as integrated pest management (IPM) and integrated fruit production (IFP) less attractive in economic terms.
    Apple, pear and peach production consume ECU215 million worth of pesticides and although 3.7% of total European Union (EU) expenditure seems a small amount, in relation to the area under cultivation, this represents intensive pesticide use. Locally the potential impacts to the environment, and to health related risks to agricultural workers, is likely to be significant. The impacts associated with pesticide use could be particularly significant for agricultural workers. In many European countries protective clothing is not regularly used, and equipment can be old and inefficient. On a recent visit to apple orchards in Greece, for example, the DEAC researchers saw pesticides being applied to the top of apple trees, by an operator wearing only shorts and a tee shirt. Pesticides were blowing back onto the operator, and running down his arms and legs from the spraying equipment. Also, it seemed that the majority of pesticides being applied was being blown away, thus missing the intended pests altogether.
    The DEAC project has been initiated in the wake of the Fifth Environmental Action Programme, the Agri-Environmental Action Programme, and in response to the growing awareness of environmental problems at the EU level. DEAC can be seen as complimentary to these overall political trends, and can make a positive contribution to the reduction of pesticides used at orchard, and at regional level, and can contribute to the assistance in the extension of alternative management tactics such as IPM and IFP.
    Apples will be developed across Europe, which will respond to local environmental conditions, and local pest and disease conditions. For instance, although scab and mildew are by far the most economically significant pests in the more the northern, wetter areas of Europe (UK, Holland, Germany, Belgium and Denmark), insect attack becomes more significant in the hotter, dry Mediterranean climates (Spain, France, Italy and Greece). Indeed in the UK 14 times more herbicide and fungicide are used than insecticide, but in Spain 50% more insecticides are used than herbicides and fungicides. What this illustrates is the need not to develop a uniform apple crop, but rather one which responds to local stresses, and is suited to local pest characteristics.
    In summary the aim of the DEAC project is to reduce the requirements of inputs, such as pesticides and irrigation, in fruit production. It is also a stated objective of the project, however, to achieve certain social goals. It seeks to increase profit margins at orchard level through reduced input requirements, increase supply resulting in cheaper fruit for the consumer; reduce fears over potentially harmful pesticide residues which will in turn increase demand for apples; increase self-sufficiency and reduce the need for out of season imports; assist in the development of marginal areas where previously apple production was inefficient thus aiding rural community development; and to comply with EU guidelines on pesticide reduction, the protection of biodiversity, the protection of drinking water supplies, and a reduction in health related risks to the agricultural community. The DEAC project can be seen as being proactive in contributing to the protection of the European environment through a shift towards low input fruit protection.

For more information: Frazer Quin, Scottish Agricultural College, West Mains Road, Edinburgh.

[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 26, December 1994, page 19]