RESULTS OF THE 5TH JOINT PESTICIDE TESTING PROGRAM CARRIED OUT BY THE IOBC WPRS-WORKING GROUP PESTICIDES AND BENEFICIAL ORGANISMS

Laboratory, semi field and field tests to assess the side effects of 20 pesticides on 19 different beneficial organisms were carried out by members of the Working Group "Pesticides and Beneficial Organisms" of the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC), West Palearctic Regional Section (WPRS). This 5th joint pesticide testing programme of the working group was carried out by 21 participants in 11 European countries. The pesticides (7 insecticides, 8 fungicides and 5 herbicides), that were chosen for their possible selectivity, were tested according to internationally approved principles. Among the 20 preparations tested, the insecticides Apollo SOSC, Cesar S.L., the fungicides Baycor, Delan flussig, Vitigran, Impact, Rovral PM, and the herbicides Luxan 2,4-D amine, Ally and Dirigol-N were harmless to nearly all the beneficial organisms tested and are recommended for use in integrated control programmes. The further testing of the remaining 10 preparations is recommended. The activities of the working group to complete the development of urgently needed sequential procedure to test the side effects of pesticides on beneficial organisms based on standard laboratory, semi field and field methods and the need for more international cooperation are discussed.