Location: Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research
2023 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
Substantial progress was made toward the project goal to determine the amount, persistence, and fate of pesticides and their toxic breakdown products. Pesticide residue data was collected on 328 samples from 77 crop field sites, supporting seven registration projects. Information from these field trials will be used to support petitions submitted by IR-4 Project to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the registration or reregistration of pesticides for use on minor crops and ornamentals.
Accomplishments
1. Pesticide residue levels in specialty food crops. The Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4) collects and provides data on the residue persistence and breakdown of minor use pesticides to support pesticide registrations by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ARS researchers in Wapato, Washington, completed pesticide residue analysis that supported the establishment of two new EPA pesticide tolerances on specialty crops. Data on eight other pesticides have been submitted to EPA for evaluation. This work will allow EPA to establish standards for the safe use of minor use pesticides on specialty crops and non-food ornamentals.
