Increasing inputs on arable farms

The area of arable crops treated with pesticides in Britain increased 18% between 1994 and 1996 to 38.3 million ha. This reflected a 6% increase in the arable crop area over the same period, following a reduction in set-aside, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF). MAFF analysed usage data for 1996 for arable crops grown (cereal, oilseeds, potatoes, peas, beans, sugar beet and set-aside crops). During this period farmers applied 31,225 tonnes of active ingredient, an increase of 7% on 1994.
    The synthetic pyrethroids were the most extensively used insecticides accounting for 79% of the insecticide treated area, followed by the organophosphates (OPs) 10% and 8% for carbamates.
    Use of the organochlorine insecticide lindane increased between 1994 and 1996. The data shows its use increased in terms of the area applied from 539,642 ha to 560,080 ha, and by the amount used from 60 to 76 tonnes.
    Cereals are the most significant area of pesticide use in the arable sector. Between 1994 and 1996, there was a 23% increase in the total pesticide treated area and a 16% increase in the amount of active substance applied. The disparity in the relative increases in amount applied and area treated was partly due to a large increase (1.6 million ha) in the area of cereals treated with synthetic pyrethroids, that are active at low rates, resulting in relatively smaller amounts applied.
    Longer term reductions in the weight of pesticides applied are also due to lower application rates. For example, metsulfuron-methyl, applied to around 400,000 ha of wheat for broad-leaved weed control, was applied at an average rate of 4.3 g/ha. In 1988, the principal broad-leaved herbicide applied to wheat was mecoprop, applied at an average of 2.2 kg/ha to 760,000 ha.
    The area of cereals treated with insecticides in 1996 was 50% more (904,379 ha) than in 1994, however, there was a 57% decrease in the weight applied due mostly to the reduction in the weight of OPs applied. (DB)

Pesticide Usage Survey Report 141, Arable Crops in Great Britain 1996, MAFF Publications, Admail 6000, London SW1A 2XX, 1997, £6.00, 97pp.

[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 38, December 1997, page 19]