Workshop on harmonized dose expression for the zonal evaluation of plant protection products in high growing crops

Vienna, 2016-10-18/20

 


The EPPO Workshop on harmonized dose expression for the zonal evaluation of plant protection products in high growing crops took place in Vienna from 18 to 20 October 2016 and was organized in collaboration with the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). Thanks are due to our Austrian hosts, in particular, Ms Langer and Ms Kovacs. Participants also greatly appreciated the interesting technical viticultural visit to Wachau region, to Loisium Wine Museum and to the School for Viticulture and Oenology Krems, where we were given a guided tour by the director Mr Faltl and Mr Kührer.
The EPPO Secretariat would also like to thank the Organizing Committee, Working Group Chairs and Rapporteurs who helped in structuring this workshop and assisted with finalizing the conclusions. Thanks are also due to the speakers for their informative presentations.

 

 

General background

 

The Workshop was organized upon request from EPPO Member Countries concerned with the harmonization of the dose expression in orchards, vineyards and other high growing crops (often referred to as three-dimensional crops). In order to allow better exchange of data between countries and to avoid unnecessary repetition of trials, dose expression should be harmonized in trials and in zonal efficacy evaluations. The best way to achieve this is to adapt the dose to the area where the treatment is needed. The EPPO Standard PP 1/239 Dose expression for plant protection products states that ‘per treated leaf wall area (LWA) unit’ is becoming a common dose expression method in three-dimensional crops. The GEP certified trial reports which conform to EPPO Standards already contain all relevant information allowing calculation from the applied dose to the LWA. However, the need for a harmonized approach to evaluate and interpret data and information given in trial reports has become increasingly important following the implementation of the EC Regulation 1107/2009, including zonal assessments of Plant Protection Products (PPP).
At the Workshop the focus was on discussion and harmonization of dose expression (i.e. the unit in which the dose is expressed) rather than dose adjustment (i.e. adjustment of the dose to the specific field situations). Dose adjustment was considered as an important aspect to be considered at a national level.
The Workshop provided an excellent opportunity to share experiences and discuss difficulties related to dose expression in the framework of zonal evaluation and mutual recognition. A total of 86 participants, from 18 EPPO countries, including 35 participants from National Regulatory Authorities, Research Institutes and Universities, 29 delegates from crop protection companies and 20 from the consultancy firms were present at the meeting.

 

Group picture
Picture of Workshop participants - view more pictures >>

 

 

Presentations

Ms Leonhardt (Head of Division for Food Security of AGES) and Ms Stangl (Head of Unit for Plant Products in the Austrian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management) welcomed participants and made the opening addresses.
  
The Workshop started with the following introductory lectures (click on the links to see the PowerPoint presentations) illustrating the state of the art and understanding of issues related to dose expression in the zonal efficacy evaluation of PPP from different perspectives.

 

Download the
Workshop brochure

   Brochure

 

 

Representatives of the Northern, Central and Southern EU authorization zones were asked to give a presentation on the experiences with dose expression in high growing crops in their zone and with the implementation of LWA. These presentations were based on a questionnaire which was circulated to countries in advance of the Workshop.

 

 

The next section included talks on dose expression and implementation of dose adjustments:

 

 

 

Conclusions and recommendations

 

Participants were divided into four Working Groups by crop to discuss different types of dose expression, the terms used for expressing doses and examples of anonymous trial reports. In the final plenary session moderated by Ms Langer and Ms Jilesen (NPPO, NL), the rapporteurs of each group reported on the conclusions of their respective groups. The following presentations illustrate the conclusions for each group:

 

  • Grapevine - Chair: Ms Kovacs; Co-chair: Mr Toews; Rapporteurs: Ms Langer and Mr Meier- Runge.
  • Pome fruit - Chair: Mr Hucorne; Co-chair: Mr Huby; Rapporteurs: Ms Matyjaszczyk, Mr Doruchowski and Mr Schlotter.
  • High growing vegetables - Chair: Ms Jilesen; Co-chair: Mr Hommes; Rapporteurs: Mr Teichmann and Ms Torne.
  • Olive and citrus - Chair: Ms Chueca; Co-chair: Mr Miranda; Rapporteurs: Mr Soler and Mr Sterzi - Support: Mr Cantus and Ms Gutiérrez.

 

For better understanding of the specificities of the citrus and olive groves in Southern countries the following presentations were given: 1) by Ms Chueca on citrus and persimmon, 2) by Mr Fuentes on olive research trials and 3) three slides on citrus, olive, almond, grape production areas in the EU.
General conclusions and recommendations were also elaborated during the Plenary Session and are available by clicking on the link below.

 

 

WORKSHOP CONCLUSIONS and RECOMMENDATIONS  

 

 

 

Organizing Committee

 

AT Ingrid Langer and Gabriele Kovacs (AGES, Vienna)
BE Bernard Weickmans and Pierre Hucorne (CRA-W, Gembloux)
DE Gregor Kral (BVL, Braunschweig)
ES Santiago Planas de Martí (Lleida University) and Elena Gutierrez (INIA, Madrid)
FR Veronique Mironet (ANSES, Maisons-Alfort)
NL Claudia Jilesen and Erwin Mol (NVWA, Wageningen)
PL Ewa Matyjaszczyk (Plant Protection Institute Poznan and Grzegorz Doruchowski (Institute of Horticulture, Skierniewice)
ECPA Peter Schlotter, Ralph-Burkhardt Toews and Martin Teichmann
EPPO Vlasta Zlof