Products containing the insecticide chlorpyrifos have been employed as important tools to protect marketable yields in top and soft fruit production for many years.  The active ingredient continues to be extensively used for the control of multiple pests in top and soft fruit, with 85% of the UK apple orchard area treated as well as a high proportion of UK pears, plums, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blackcurrants.

In apples, chlorpyrifos is used pre-blossom as a ‘clean-up’ spray before naturally occurring beneficials are most active. Pests controlled include blossom weevil, capsid, codling moth, mussel scale, tortrix, winter moth and woolly aphid

In strawberry crops, the treatment is widely relied upon for vine weevil control. And in raspberries, it is the only reliable insecticide available for the control of raspberry cane midge.

By minimising spray drift in orchards by adopting the new initiative’s fruit guidelines, growers play a significant role in safeguarding long term use and availability of chlorpyrifos and protecting the environment.

 

Fruit growers: Please note that owing to the fantastic response by the sector following the 'Chlorpyrifos Say NO to DRIFT' campaign launch at last year's National Fruit Show, the promotion for free low-drift nozzles has now ended. Thank you for your support.

Chlorpyrifos Consortium members:

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