Location: Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research
2021 Annual Report
Objectives
Determine the amount, persistence, and fate of pest insect control chemicals and
their toxic breakdown products in minor agricultural crops in the United States.
Provide data in support of registration/re-registration petitions to EPA through IR-4 Minor Use Program. (NP 304, C3, subcomponent 3A, PS 3A2)
Approach
Minor agricutural crops treated with insect control chemicals such as pyrethroids,organophosphates and carbamates will be chemically analyzed to determine the amount,persistence and distribution of these chemicals and their breakdown products. The data collected will be forwarded through designated channels and used to establish tolerances and obtain registration for the use of these chemicals on minor crops. Also, new efficient procedures for the extraction, cleanup, and determination of residues of these pesticides in crops will be developed to more rapidly expedite these registration processes.
Progress Report
The Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4) is the primary entity in the United States to facilitate registrations of conventional pesticides and biopesticides on specialty food crops. The laboratory component of this program provided supporting data to give growers access to new pesticide uses on minor crops. These new uses established safer alternatives to older chemicals which faced stiffer regulation and offered the potential for more environmental and health impact. The residue research completed also helped establish new controls for new threats to minor use crops.
The IR-4 Project Residue Laboratory at the USDA, Agricultural Research Service facility in Wapato, Washington, collected pesticide residue data for five registration projects with 426 samples from 43 crop field sites. Information from these field trials will be used to support petitions submitted by the IR-4 Project to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the registration or re-registration of pesticides for use on minor crops.
Accomplishments
1. Safe pesticide residue levels evaluated in specialty food crops. The primary entity in the United States to facilitate registrations of conventional pesticides and biopesticides on specialty food crops (fruits, vegetables, and nuts) is Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4). These registrations are necessary to ensure the crops we eat are healthy and wholesome. ARS researchers in Wapato, Washington, in collaboration with IR-4 personnel at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, collected pesticide residue data for five registration projects with 426 samples from 43 crop field sites. Most pesticide residues on food crops were below the levels established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicating that these products are safe to use on minor crops. This information will be submitted to the EPA by the IR-4 Project to enable registrations of needed pesticides for use on minor food crops and ornamental plants.
