Report to the Minister for Planning and Environment
Approval of the use of ‘Pirimor Rook 100’ Smoke Generators
for the control aphids in seed potato stores.
- Summary
1.1 It is recommended that the Minister grants a provisional approval for a period of one year for the use of ‘Pirimor Rook 100’ smoke generators for the control of aphids in seed potato stores in Jersey.
1.2 Since the UK revocation of nicotine shreds there are no products approved for this use.
1.3 Jersey is the only place where seed potatoes are chitted (shoot) before planting and aphids can multiply to damaging levels on these shoots, causing malformation and transmitting virus before planting, leading to crop damage and yield loss.
1.4 Provision exists within Pesticides (General Provisions) (Jersey) Order 1991 Article 4 – Approvals. The Minister may give his or her approval in relation to a pesticide of any description.
2.0 Rationale
2.1 Jersey Royal potato production is unique in that seed potatoes are chitted prior to planting.
2.2 These shoots are prone to aphid infestation during the autumn and winter storage period and the feeding can create physical damage, weaken the seed tuber and spread virus and disease.
2.3 Whilst efforts such as pre-storage hygiene and insect screening can reduce the number of aphids in the store, physical methods alone cannot prevent entry of the pest as they migrate to winter hosts and further measures are needed to achieve control.
2.4 Previously this was achieved using nicotine fumigation but all nicotine products were revoked as of 8th June 2010.
2.5 With a lack of approved products available, growers asked the Department to urgently investigate an alternative.
2.6 The product ‘Pirimor Rook 100’ is a pirimicarb based fumigant insecticide product registered in Holland for use in potato stores against aphids.
2.7 The manufacturers plan to register ‘Pirimor Rook 100’ across all European Member States under the harmonised approvals system but this may take 2 years to achieve.
2.8 Pirimicarb, a carbamate insecticide and the active ingredient of 8 insecticides already registered for use in the UK/Jersey on an extremely wide range of edible crops including top fruit, soft fruit, salad crops, herbs, cereals and potatoes. It has very short harvest interval of between 7 days and 24 hours on edible crops.
2.9 The half-life of pirimicarb is 3.1 days (1)
Pirimicarb has a half-life of 3 days on most crops (2)
2.9 Pirimicarb is also widely used in biological control programmes as it has little effect on bees, ladybirds and other beneficial insects, but is specific in its effect on aphids.
2.10 The use of pirimicarb in seed potato stores would present zero risk to the natural environment or surface water as it used indoors. It would present zero risk to beneficial organisms as it is most unlikely any will be present.
2.11 Under current approvals pirimicarb products may be applied to the foliage of potato crops 3 days before harvest and consumption. Residues of pirimicarb are only rarely found on produce for consumption (3). There is no risk of pirimicarb residues entering the food chain if this product were used as a seed store fumigant, as the seed tubers are not harvested for human consumption.
References
(1)- pirimicarb (Pirimor) US FDA Pesticide Petition Filing 10/99
(2)- Pirimicarb (Pesticide residues in food 1976 evaluations)
(3) Pesticide Residues Committee Pesticide Residues Monitoring Report Fourth Quarter Report 2010.
3 Conditions of use.
- For use only in professional seed potato stores when seed potatoes are present.
- Only products with a label in the English language may be used.
- Only to be used when aphids are present in the seed tubers.
- One smoke generator to be used per 700 cubic meters.
- Store volume calculations must be kept with application records for checking.
- Pirimicarb acts through contact, vapour and translaminar pathways so store air temperature should be 15°C to give maximum efficacy in the vapour stage.
- Fans should be used to avoid ‘dead spots’ in the store.
- If pirimicarb smokes are used on a batch of potato seed then the first two foliar applications of aphicide to potato crops in the field, originating from that seed must not contain pirimicarb.
- The Environment Department reserves the right to inspect seed potato stores and application records prior to, during and after pirimicarb fumigation to check best practice is being followed.
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Minister:
(i) Gives a Provisional Approval of use for ‘Pirimor Rook 100’ Smoke Generators or a period of one year, to be reviewed at the end of that period.
(ii) That the approval be subject to the conditions of use listed in point 3 of this document.
Report prepared by Head of Plant Health
Approved by Director, Environmental Management and Rural Economy.
August 3rd 2011
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