Chlorpyrifos products are an important tool in the plant protection armoury for the control of key pests in arable crops with winter wheat accounting for 80% of the total treated area (200,000 hectares in 2008, PUS).

The value of these products is characterised by their relative affordability and efficacy in controlling a range of important insect pests, often more effectively than other treatments.

Pests controlled include Wheat Bulb fly (WBF), Orange Wheat Blossom Midge (OWBM), Frit Fly and Leatherjackets

 

 Chlorpyrifos products:

  Dow AgroSciences

  Headland Agrochemicals

  Makhteshim Agan UK

  Dursban   WG

  Cyren

  Alpha   Chlorpyrifos

  Equity

  Ballad

  Pyrines

 

Cost effective control of key insect pests would be severely affected in the absence of chlorpyrifos based products.

In winter wheat, Orange Wheat Blossom midge (OWBM) (typically June applications) and Wheat Bulb fly (typically January-February applications) are the principle target pests. However, spring and autumn chlorpyrifos applications are used for frit fly and leatherjackets in maize and cereals following grassland. Leatherjacket control in sugar-beet is also important.

Although alternative insecticides can be effective against OWBM if correctly timed, they are primarily targeted at adults. Chlorpyrifos has the advantage that it also kills eggs and young larvae. Chlorpyrifos is the only egg hatch spray approved for control of wheat bulb fly.

In the absence of chlorpyrifos, lost yield and quality implications would be significant, particularly for milling wheat that attracts a significant price premium. The impact is particularly severe for the areas of the UK dominated by arable production.

Chlorpyrifos Consortium members:

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