Pesticide Usage Report: Top Fruit Crops 2022

Summary

This report presents information from a survey of the pesticide usage practices of top fruit growers in Northern Ireland in 2022. This is the twelfth pesticide usage survey to be conducted on top fruit crops in the region since 1992. There was an estimated total of 208 top fruit holdings in Northern Ireland in 2022. Since the previous survey, the total area of top fruit crops grown decreased by 8% to 1,256 hectares with a decrease of 7% in the area of Bramley apples grown. A sample of 53 growers was selected to provide information on crop applications, storage treatments and orchard floor treatments. An estimated 96% of all top fruit crops were grown in County Armagh, with Bramley apple orchards accounting for 99% of the total top fruit grown in Northern Ireland. There was an estimated 47,980 tonnes of Bramley apples harvested in 2022, a 24% increase compared to 2022. The yield of apples  in 2022 was reported to be much higher than previous years.

Overall, an estimated 16.4 tonnes of pesticide active ingredients (fungicides, herbicides, insecticides and growth regulators) were applied to 24,831 spray hectares. The pesticide-treated area decreased by 9% compared with 2020, and the weight of active ingredients applied decreased by 11%.

Fungicide application accounted for 88% of total pesticide-treated area (not including ‘other’ products) and 93% of weight applied. When compared with 2020, the area treated with fungicides decreased by 8%, and the weight of fungicides applied decreased by 10%. Captan (27%), dodine (12%), pyrimethanil (11%), and the formulation boscalid/pyraclostrobin  (9%) were the fungicide active ingredients most commonly used on top fruit crops, collectively accounting for 58% of fungicide-treated area. An estimated 89% of all fungicide applications were applied to control apple scab (Venturia inaequalis).

Insecticide and acaricide application represented 7% and <1% of total pesticide use by area treated and weight of active substance applied, respectively. The area treated with insecticides and acaricides decreased by 6% when compared with 2020. Deltamethrin represented 57% of the insecticide treated area. Chlorantraniliprole accounted for 26% of the insecticide treated area. The pyridine carboxamide flonicamid accounted for 11% of insecticide treated area. Aphid control accounted for 20% of insecticide application and a further 55% was attributed to ‘general insect control’.

Herbicide application represented 3% of total pesticide use by area treated and 7% of weight applied. Overall, the area treated with herbicide decreased by 31% and the weight of herbicides applied decreased by 23%, when compared with 2020. The formulation 2, 4-D/glyphosate was the most frequently used herbicide accounting for 64% of total herbicide application. Glyphosate accounted for 26% of the total herbicide treated area. The most common weed management practice was to apply herbicides in strips under the tree canopy and mow the inter-row grass area between the rows of trees, with 89% of growers using this method. The remaining 11% of growers either mowed or grazed the strips under the tree canopy in addition to the inter-row area.

Growth regulators accounted for 3% of the pesticide-treated area and less than 1% of the total weight of pesticide applied. Gibberellins and prohexadione were the only growth regulator active ingredients applied. Prohexadione accounted for 75% of the area treated with a growth regulator and 99% of the total weight of growth regulator applied.

An estimated 5.5 tonnes of ‘other products’ were applied to 5,914 spray hectares. These included foliar feeds, trace elements and calcium-based products. A majority of applications were to treat potential nutritional disorders.

Data were also collected on post-harvest storage treatments applied to top fruit crops. Only Bramley apples were stored with an estimated 11,873 tonnes, of which, 10,635 tonnes were treated. The pesticide active 1-methylcyclopropene was the only pesticide active used on stored top fruit crops in 2022.