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1996
Conference Paper
Titel
Is sustainable development a practical possibility given the continued use of plant protection products? The scientific view
Abstract
Considering the fact that plant protection products generally are active ingredients with biocidal properties they have to have effects at least in the target environment. Sustainability in agriculture requires that agricultural arm keep their facility and that effects outside the target areas at least reversible. This requires for a continued use of plant protection products that application technologies have to be optimised for minimum release into ecotons and to exhibit properties not resulting in long-term impacts (degradability, no bioaccumulation etc.). Furthermore when considering sustainability the different agricultural technologies should be weighted against each other as compared to their effects on soil fertility and ecological consequences. This means that plant protection products should be compared with tillaging, crop rotation, fertilisation-intensity of agriculture, alternative plant protection methods. ratio of use versus refugial areas in a region, use of genetically modified resistant crops, comparison of commercial costs, ecological costs and benefit. Some of this criteria will be substantiated by examples.
Language
English