Implementation of Best Management Practices can strongly reduce losses of

Plant Protection Products to water.

Manfred Roettele

Outline

About TOPPSLegal frameSignificance of entry routesPoint sourcesRunoff / erosionSpray driftOutlook

TOPPS projects landscapeTOPPS projects are running now for 9 years

Mitigation ofPoint sources

MitigationDiffuse sources

Bridge + EOS

AIM

PROWADIS

Oct 2005 End 2014Dec 2010Jan 2014

Train Operators Promote best Practices & Sustainability

15 EU countries

Nov 2005 Oct 2008 Dec 2010 May 2011

Point sources

TOPPS – outreach - EU

TOPPS – point sources BMPs / Materials developed europe wide (23 countries)

TOPPS – EOSEnvironmantally optimized sprayersExpert information tool.

TOPPS-prowadis7 countries Common EU BMPs + materials developed

TOPPS water protection (plans)Intensify dissemination and expand TOPPS prowadis to more countries

Water is a key resource to keep clean byreducing entry from contamination sources

• Fertilzers and pesticides• Human and animal waste• Plastics and heavy metals• Other manmade and natural chemicals

Most losses of PPPs to water can be prevented by using a framework of Best Management Practice (BMP)

Legal framework to protect water in EU

Water is not a commercial product like any other but, rather, a heritage which must be protected, defended and treated as such …

(Excerpt from the recitals to the European Water Framework Directive).

Water Framework Directive

• Ground water• Surface water• Marine water

Regulation ofPlant Protection

Products• Access to Market• Hazard reduction• Risk assessment

Directive on Sustainable Use

of Pesticides• Focus on use phase• Education & training• Risk reduction

Threshold values for PPPs in drinking water and the protection of aquatic organisms are extremly low

For example, spilling just 1 g of active incredient into water exceeds the drinking water threshold of 0,1 µg/L, unless mixed in a ditch:

•1 m wide•30 cm deep•33 km long

Which sources of pesticide get into surface water & by how much?

Spray drift

Point sources

Run-off

Drainage

> 50 %Point

Sources

5 % Drift30 %

Run-off

The transfer of diffuse sources (uses on crops) to water can be reduced

Point source releases mostly occur around farmyards from poor handling

Most point source releases of PPPs can be prevented!

How are point sources measured ?

Waiste water of village farms in community sewage plant.

Measurement point 1 measures PPP pollution from farmyards (point sources).

Measurement point 2 measures PPP pollution from the field (diffuse sources).

Village with farms

Sewage plant

Water catchment area

Farming area

Measurement 1point sources

Measurement 2diffuse sources

Frede et al. 2006, TOPPS-Forum; Univ Giessen

Not many countries have generated results on point source significance

Avoid PPP losses from point sourcesAwareness of key risks helps focus on prevention

Key Risks

• Sprayer cleaning

• Mixing and loading

• Remnant management

• Empty container disposal

• Transport to the field

• Farm pesticide storage

• Transport to the farm

higher

lower

BMPs• Inside the spray equipment

– Technically challenge to empty completely

– Technical improvements:

• Reduce the residual volume

• Make cleaning more user friendly(Continuous cleaning)

• Outside the spray equipment– As much as possible in the field

– On a biological active area

BMPs for cleaning sprayersClean sprayer in the field as much as possibleIf spills or diluted spray liquids occur on the farmyard contain themPay attention that contaminated liquid cannot reach surface water

3 rinsing steps in the field

BMPsUse induction hoppersAvoid spills / contain themImprove water metering

(Tank scales often not sufficiently precise or difficult to read)

Calibrate sprayer forcorrect spray volume / ha

BMPs for mixing & loading

BMPs for remnant management

Key factors influencing runoff

What we cannot directly influenceWeatherSoil characteristicsForm of the landscape

What we can influenceField sizesCrops grownCultivation practicesLand managementPPP - application

Reduce PPP losses from diffuse sources Runoff / Erosion

Diagnosis of runoff risk determins mitigation measures3 Situations to be distinguished

Runoff due to infiltration restriction (intensity: spring/summer)

Runoff due to soil saturation(volume: winter)

Concentrated Runoff /Erosion

Runoff risk and mitigation is field-specificRisk – diagnosis of fields in catchment necessary

• Generalization is difficult • Diagnosis / mapping of risk areas

in the field is basis for mitigation

• Toolbox of mitigation measures allows flexibel implementation • Field data on efficacy of measures

reflect variability of situations

• Synergistic effects from combining measures are known from field experience/observations

Example: Pilot catchment in BE

Runoff risk due to infiltration restriction Runoff risk due to saturation excess

For each runoff type, different measures need to be implemented!

TOPPS prowadis runoff Risk maps

1. Prevent runoff at source

In the field mitigation measures

Increase water infiltration• reduce tillage• break soil compaction• more organic matter• stabilize soil aggregates

Slow down water flow• rough seedbed / bunds• cover soil with materials• manage tramlines• work across the slope• use infield buffers

Utilize the water• grow intermediary crops

2. Prevent runoff reaching surface waterOut of the field mitigation measures

Increase water infiltration and capture soil particles

• implement vegetative buffers grass buffers grass + hedges• optimize crop rotation and use variety of crops as buffer (row crops + broadcast crops)• built fascines to disperse the water• optimize field size • organise crop rotation also in the landscape• Build bunds• build terraces

3. Keep runoff water in the catchment

In catchment mitigation measures Build retention structures

• Develop natural wetlands (Water infiltration, water evaporation, PPP - degradation)

• Use vegetated ditch to collect

runoff water (outlet control)

• Develop artificial wetlands

Best Management Practice reduce the risk of PPP transfer to water through runoff / erosion

Step 1Risk diagnosis

TOPPS - dashboards

Step 2Select effective measures

TOPPS Mitigation measures toolbox

MitigationEffect %

Measures (I) (II) (III)

Step 3Implement BMPs

Diagnosis + Measures

from to

Reduce PPP losses from diffuse sourcesSpray drift

Key factors

• Wind speed • Wind direction• Temparature• Air humidity• Proximity to water • Proximity sensitive area • Crop treated• Adjacent vegetation• Droplet size• Application technique• Adjustment of sprayers

indirect influence

direct influence

Be aware of the external conditions when spraying close to

sensitive areas

TemperatureAir humidity

Proximity to sensitive areas

Wind speedWind direction

If possible post pone spraying when wind blows

towards sensitive area and wind speed is > 3 to 5 m/s

Spray when temparature is < 25 degrees and air humidity is > 40 %

Plan thoroughly your application if you need to spray in the zone of awarenessRespect distance regulationsSelect optimal time of the day

Avoid droplets < 100 micronNozzles are classified in some countries (in % drift reduction, up to 99%)Distance regulations are linked to the use of antidrift technologies according to local regulations

Air induction nozzles allow to reduce the amount of fine droplets other dispersion

techniques are less flexible

• Droplets below 100 micron cause the main drift risk

• Small droplets are lost by wind, thermic turbulence and may evaporate at low air humidity

• Coarse droplet spectra have shown comparable biological activity

Key recommendations to manage spray drift in field applications

Droplet sizereduce amount of fine dropletsBoom heightthe lower the better < = 50cmDriving speedkeep speed along sensitive areas < 8 km/hSprayer with air support(bare soil !)

Direct measures

Reduce fine droplets

Optimize sprayer adjustment- air support- liquid volume

Select best spray scenario

Select drift reducing sprayer

Key parameters to manage spray drift in orchard / vine applications

Indirect measures

• Hedgerows catch spray drift

• Hailnets reduce spray drift by about 50%

• Consider buffer strips / untreated zones

Use nozzles with low amount of fine droplets

Comparable efficacy for most PPP

Air induction nozzles

(hardly visible)

Standard hollow cone nozzles

Key recommendation to manage drift in orchard / vineUSE COARSE DROPLETS

Air injector nozzles

Orchard / vine sprayers transport the droplets into the canopy with the help of air.

• AIR direction / height need to be adjusted by

windshields

• Windshields need to be adjusted according to unsymetric air volume and speed

• AIR volume can be adjusted by PTO speed at the tractor or gear box at the sprayer

General observation:Often applications are done with to much air volume. More technical adjustment possibilities would be beneficial

Key recommendations to manage drift in orchard / vine

ADJUST AIR DIRECTION, AIR VOLUME AND AIR SPEED

Axialfan sprayer – most common

Key recommendations to manage drift in orchard / vine

ADJUST LIQUID OUTPUT TO CHANGING CANOPY

Big challenge is the correct adjustment of the spray output to the crop canopy

• spray volume need to cover and

penetrate the shape and structure of the canopy

• nozzles with different spray output need to be arranged to fit

the canopy

• Several adjustments needed during the season as canopy develops

The images shared by courtesy of Health and Safety Executive – UK. Walklate et al .2003.

Key recommendations to manage spray drift in orchard / vineSPRAY SCENARIO: spray border rows from outside in

• if wind blows towards a sensitive area, spray border rows from outside

in

• modify airsupport to balance the drift

risk

Spray scenarios can be used if later spraying cannot be postponed or sudden change of wind direction occurs

Border rows: one sided spray from outside in

Key recommendations to manage drift in orchard / vine

VARIOUS SPRAYERS ARE ABLE TO REDUCE DRIFT

Axialfan sprayer with installation• distance to target more equal•Air directed to canopy

Tangential- fan sprayer

• distance to target more equal•Air directed parallel to canopy

Tunnel sprayer

• drift is collected by shields• Special training of crop is necessary / cannot operate everywherePictures: Ipach DLZ-Rheinpfalz

Measurement of drift reduction concentrates on complete sprayer and its configuration – a challenge

Understand more about drift risks and drift reductionwww.TOPPS-drift.org

Field crops / Orchards / Vine – 8 languages Education and awareness

... We have means for the cloud to disappear

TOPPS water protection extension to more countries including HUNGARY

Review point source BMPs and intensify dissemination activities

Develop BMPs to reduce diffuse sources (spray drift and runoff / erosion)

Disseminate the BMPs to offer rather complete recommendation to protect water. Involve stakeholders to support dissemination and to help the BMPs implementation

TOPPS water protection includes14 countries and will involve about 20 local partners

• New partners will be trained on current tools and BMP measures• Adapt BMPs to their local situation• Disseminate BMPs to local advicers, farmers and stakeholders

Proposed Country Scope

Old Countries:BE, DE, (DK), ES, FR, IT, PL

New (extension) Countries, GR, HU, NL, PT, RO, SK

35

TOPPS water protection extension to more countries including SLOVAKIA

Water protection starts in the minds of people

Thanks for listening