Manfred Roettele

1. Implementation of Best Management Practices can strongly reduce losses ofPlant Protection Products to water. Manfred Roettele

2. Outline • About TOPPS • Legal frame • Significance of entry routes • Point sources • Runoff / erosion • Spray drift • Outlook

3. TOPPS projects landscapeTOPPS projects are running now for 9 years Train Operators Promote best Practices & Sustainability Mitigation ofPoint sources MitigationDiffuse sources 15 EU countries Bridge + EOS AIM PROWADIS Point sources Oct 2005 Dec 2010 Jan 2014 Oct 2008 End 2014 Nov 2005 Dec 2010 May 2011

4. TOPPS – outreach - EU TOPPS – point sources BMPs / Materials developed europe wide (23 countries) TOPPS – EOSEnvironmantally optimized sprayersExpert information tool. TOPPS-prowadis 7 countries Common EU BMPs + materials developed TOPPS water protection (plans)Intensify dissemination and expand TOPPS prowadis to more countries

5. Water is a key resource to keep clean by reducing 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)

6. 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 of • Plant ProtectionProducts • Access to Market • Hazard reduction • Risk assessment • Directive on Sustainable Use of Pesticides • Focus on use phase • Education & training • Risk reduction

7. 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

8. Point sources Run-off Spray drift Drainage Which sources of pesticide get into surface water & by how much? The transfer of diffuse sources (uses on crops) to water can be reduced 5 % Drift 30 % Run-off > 50 % Point Sources Point source releases mostly occur around farmyards from poor handling Most point source releases of PPPs can be prevented!

9. How are point sources measured ? Frede et al. 2006, TOPPS-Forum; Univ Giessen Farmingarea Villagewithfarms Watercatchmentarea Sewage plant Measurement 1point sources Measurement 2diffuse sources Not many countries have generated results on point source significance • 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).

10. 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

11. BMPs for cleaning sprayers Clean sprayer in thefieldas much aspossible Ifspillsordiluted spray liquidsoccur on thefarmyardcontainthem Pay attentionthatcontaminated liquid cannotreachsurfacewater BMPs • Inside the spray equipment • Technically challenge to empty completely • Technical improvements: • Reduce the residual volume • Make cleaning more user friendly(Continuouscleaning) • Outside the spray equipment • As much as possible in thefield • On a biological active area 3 rinsing steps in the field

12. BMPs for mixing & loading BMPs • Use induction hoppers • Avoid spills / contain them • Improve water metering (Tank scales often not sufficiently precise or difficult to read) • Calibrate sprayer forcorrect spray volume / ha

13. BMPs for remnant management BMPs • Collect remnants from • Cleaning of equipment • Maintenance of equipment • Other remnants • Treatment of remnants • Apply as a dilute spray in the field OR • Treatment in a biofilter or other system

14. Reduce PPP losses from diffuse sources Runoff / Erosion Key factors influencing runoffWhat we cannot directly influence Weather Soil characteristics Form of the landscape What we can influence Field sizes Crops grown Cultivation practices Land managementPPP - application

15. 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

16. Runoffriskandmitigationisfield-specific Risk – diagnosisoffields in catchmentnecessary • 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

17. TOPPS prowadis runoff Risk maps Example: Pilot catchment in BE Runoff risk due to infiltration restriction Runoff risk due to saturation excess Foreachrunoff type, different measuresneedtobeimplemented!

18. 1. Preventrunoffatsource 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

19. 2. Preventrunoffreachingsurfacewater Out 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

20. 3. Keep runoffwater in thecatchment 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

21. Best Management Practice reduce the risk of PPP transfer to water through runoff / erosion Step 1 Risk diagnosis TOPPS - dashboards Step 2 Select effective measures TOPPS Mitigation measures toolbox MitigationEffect % (I) (II) (III) Measures Step 3 Implement BMPs Diagnosis + Measures from to

22. Reduce PPP losses from diffuse sourcesSpray drift indirect influence • Key factors • Wind speed • Wind direction • Temparature • Air humidity • Proximity to water • Proximity sensitive area • Croptreated • Adjacentvegetation • Dropletsize • Applicationtechnique • Adjustmentofsprayers direct influence

23. Be aware of the external conditions when spraying close to sensitive areas Proximity to sensitive areas Plan thoroughlyyourapplicationifyouneed to spray in thezoneofawarenessRespectdistanceregulationsSelect optimal time oftheday Wind speedWind direction Temperature Air humidity Spray when temparature is < 25 degreesandair humidity is > 40 % Ifpossible post ponespraying when wind blowstowards sensitive area and wind speedis > 3 to 5 m/s

24. 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 Avoiddroplets < 100 micron Nozzlesareclassified in some countries (in % drift reduction, up to 99%) Distanceregulationsarelinked to theuseof antidrift technologiesaccording to localregulations

25. Key recommendations to manage spray drift in field applications • Dropletsizereduceamountoffinedroplets • Boom heightthelowerthebetter < = 50cm • Drivingspeedkeepspeedalong sensitive areas < 8 km/h • Sprayer withairsupport(bare soil !)

26. Key parameters to manage spray drift in orchard / vine applications Direct measures • Reduce fine droplets • Optimize sprayer adjustment- air support- liquid volume • Select best spray scenario • Select drift reducing sprayer Indirect measures • Hedgerows catch spray drift • Hailnets reduce spray drift by about 50% • Consider buffer strips / untreated zones

27. Key recommendation to manage drift in orchard / vineUSE COARSE DROPLETS • Use nozzles with low amount of fine droplets • Comparable efficacy for most PPP Air injector nozzles Standard hollow cone nozzles Air induction nozzles (hardly visible)

28. Key recommendations to manage drift in orchard / vineADJUST AIR DIRECTION, AIR VOLUME AND AIR SPEED • 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 Axialfan sprayer – most common

29. Key recommendations to manage drift in orchard / vineADJUST 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.

30. 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

31. Key recommendations to manage drift in orchard / vineVARIOUS 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 everywhere Pictures: Ipach DLZ-Rheinpfalz Measurement ofdriftreductionconcentrates on completesprayeranditsconfiguration – a challenge

32. Understand more about drift risks and drift reductionwww.TOPPS-drift.org Field crops / Orchards / Vine – 8 languages Education and awareness

33. ... We have means for the cloud to disappear

34. TOPPS water protection extension to more countries including HUNGARY • Review pointsource BMPs andintensifydisseminationactivities • Develop BMPs toreduce diffuse sources (spray driftandrunoff / erosion) • Disseminatethe BMPs toofferrathercompleterecommendationtoprotectwater. Involvestakeholderstosupportdisseminationandtohelpthe BMPs implementation

35. TOPPS waterprotectionextensiontomore countries including SLOVAKIA • 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

36. Water protection starts in the minds of people Thanks for listening