Articles
TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED FRUIT PRODUCTION IN THE NETHERLANDS
At present, fruit growing requires a considerable use of chemicals (insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, growth regulators (table 1) as well as fertilizers.
Discomfort on the use of chemicals is not new, at least not in the world of biologists.
In the Netherland in 1946 till 1949 three different researchers expressed their doubts about the use of pesticides (Minks & Gruys, 1980).
The uneasiness, however, is now spreading rapidly among the public.
Concern for health and environment are rightly increasing.
Political measures are therefore being prepared which are aimed at reducing the input of chemicals.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries aimes at a 50% reduction in the use of crop-protection chemicals and even a 80% reduction in soil disinfectants by the year 2000. It is expected that by then all agricultural activities should have an integrated character.
To support this development in fruit growing the government has given permission to appoint 4 new extension specialists to speed up the introduction of integrated pest control.
These people will be paid for 75% by the government and for the rest by the fruit industry.
In 1996 integrated pest management must cover the whole Dutch apple acreage.
On top of that a reseacher for this work will be stationed in Wilhelminadorp.
Reduction of pesticide use and losses to the environment are pursued by various measures.
First, replacement of polluting sprayers that are not yet written off will be stimulated.
Second, five mobile test banks for testing sprayers will be developed and growers will probably be compelled to get their sprayers tested.
Third, solutions for remnants of the spray liquid and packings are being debated.
At present devices are developed for cleaning the rinsing water from spayers by the Institute of Agricultural Engineering (IMAG) at Wageningen.
Fourth, growing fruit trees near surface water (trees on ditch sides) is point of discussion.
Moreover, the Minister will decide before long on a plan of the National Council for Agricultural Research to intensify research efforts for integrated production in all branches of agriculture and horticulture.
For fruit growing this boils down to a request for an expansion of the research staff with seven people to do more research on alternatives for herbicides and nematicides and to control more insects by antagonists, feromone confusion or other means, and last but not least to lead trials on integrated fruit production.
A first one will be planted this autumn.
Hereafter, other efforts to come to a cleaner way of fruit growing are summarized.