Pesticide usage report: Hardy & ornamental nursery stock 2009

Summary

This report presents information from a survey of the pesticide usage practices on hardy and protected ornamental nursery stock crops grown in Northern Ireland in 2009. There have been two previous surveys of protected ornamental crops and one survey of hardy nursery stock crops. Results from these surveys reported on pesticide usage practices on protected crops (edible & ornamental) in 1991 (Kidd et al, 1997), protected ornamental crops in 2003 (Kearns et al, 2003) and hardy nursery stock crops in 2003 (Kearns et al, 2003). This is the first survey in Northern Ireland to combine the results of pesticide usage on both hardy and protected ornamental nursery stock crops in a single report.

A significant number of hardy ornamental crops, which are normally grown outdoors for subsequent transplantation, are now being grown under protection in either glasshouses or polythene tunnels, which in practice makes them a protected crop. Therefore, throughout this report all crops grown under protection will be referred to as ‘protected crops’ and all crops grown outside in either field or container will be referred to as ‘non-protected crops’. Retail nursery outlets (garden centres) and Christmas tree growers were also included in the survey.

Information on all aspects of pesticide usage was collected from 110 holdings throughout the Province, representing 49% of the total area of protected and non-protected crops grown. Quantitative data has been adjusted to provide estimates of total pesticide usage.

The total area of protected and non-protected non-edible crops grown was 1,457,375 m2 (146 ha). Of this, 265,201 m² (26.5 ha) of crops were grown under protection (Figure 1). Counties Down (39%) and Antrim (22%) accounted for more than 60% of the area of hardy nursery stock grown. Counties Armagh and Tyrone each comprised 17% and Counties Londonderry (4%) and Fermanagh (1%) represented approximately 5% of the total area of hardy nursery stock.

For further information on this work please contact: Pesticide usage monitoring group