- PROJECT NAME
- Generation of data for pesticide applications in horticulture crops 2018
- PROJECT CODE
- ST17000
- DELIVERY PARTNER
- Peracto
- PROJECT LEAD
- Jodie Pedrana – Hort Innovation
Jodie.Pedrana@horticulture.com.au
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The generation of pesticide residue, efficacy and crop safety data is required to support label registration and minor use permit applications made to the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) which, when approved, provide access to safe and effective chemicals for the management of pests, weeds and diseases.
In May 2018, Hort Innovation announced the securing of more than $1 million in assistance grants under the Federal Government’s Access to Industry Uses of Agricultural and Veterinary (Agvet) Chemicals program. This funding was used, along with levy contributions, to generate the data required for a range of registration and minor use applications across a variety of horticulture crops through the project Generation of data for pesticide applications in horticulture crops 2018 (ST17000).
For the strawberry industry, this investment supported a Bayer label registration application for Luna Experience (tebuconazole + fluopyram), for the control of Botrytis grey mould and stem-end rot.
Data generation for other applications relevant to the strawberry industry was also supported by the project Generation of residue, efficacy and crop safety data for pesticide applications in horticulture crops 2017 (ST16006) which involved grant funds from an earlier round of the Agvet program, plus some levy contributions.
USEFUL LINKS
These chemicals have been identified as priorities for Raspberry & Blackberry growers through the SARP.
The minor use program through Hort Innovation, initiated the Strategic Agrochemical Review Process (SARP) to give strategic direction to the minor use program investments and have also played a pivotal role in the successful development and delivery of the Plant Industries AgChem Access Priorities Annual Forum.
Increasing access to agricultural chemicals is the focus of the AgChem Access Priorities Forum (Forum), a collaborative process that has been held for the past four years. The forums are funded by plant-based Research and Development Corporations (RDCs) and CropLife Australia. The Forum aims to promote information sharing, industry prioritisation and coinvestment opportunities for supporting applications for AgChem uses. The Forum held in October 2018 was the fourth time the forum has been run and was again successful in facilitating interaction between the RDC’s, users of AgChem technologies and Chemical Companies.
At the Forums, plant-based RDCs, APVMA and commercial chemical registrants come together to deliver a cross-industry agreed list of priority needs and solutions for uses of agricultural chemicals. Each plant-based RDC, in consultation with industry, puts forward the top five pest priorities for which chemical solutions are sought for each crop. Chemical registrants have the opportunity to suggest solutions and comment on options proposed by industry. The Forum facilitates discussion between industry representatives and chemical registrants, where opportunities to improve access to agricultural chemicals can be identified.
This review process provides horticulture industries with sound pesticide options for the future that the industry can pursue for registration with the chemical companies, or minor-use permits with APVMA for clearly identified crop protection needs.
The raspberry and blackberry industry SARP was last updated in 2016. This SARP process will identify and update diseases, insect pests and weeds of major concern to the raspberry and blackberry industry. Against these threats, available registered or permitted pesticides will be evaluated for overall suitability in terms of IPM, resistance, residues, withholding period, efficacy, trade, human safety and environmental issues. Where tools were unavailable or unsuitable, the process aimed to identify potential future solutions.
The purpose of the 2020 SARP survey is to identify the Raspberry and Blackberry Industry’s priorities and provide comment on priority pests (diseases, insects & weeds).
Prioritisation of the major pests into high, moderate and low categories will identify the Raspberry and Blackberry Industry’s priorities and help determine the highest priority gaps in the raspberry and blackberry pest control strategy.
