SUMMARY OF THE PRESENTATIONS ON IFP-GENERAL PROBLEMS

A review of the current status of Integrated Fruit Production shows a strong expansion during the last few years.
In Western European countries 42 % of the pome fruit area (ca. 250.000 ha) are grown according to IFP-schemes or similar quality assurance.
This means an increase of 40 % on the basis of the 1991-status.
A total of 32 regional or national organizations are promoting IFP. In stone fruit production several IFP-systems already have been introduced into practice.
The greatest successes that have to be emphasized are: well-trained fruit growes, increase in beneficial organisms, reduction in pesticide use and the availability of EC 2078-regulation grants for IFP in several regions of western Europe.
Nevertheless some problems up to now could not be solved: use of residual herbicides, application of growth regulators and antioxidants (post-harvest) and heterogeneous control and checking procedures for IFP in the different regions.
In Eastern Europe the first steps to implement IFP have been taken.
IFP-standards have been adopted in Poland and on a small scale are already introduced into practice.
In Ukraine integrated pest management methods are evaluated.
Three remarkable efforts have been reported from the USA (Washington, Massachusetts, Michigan). IPM is tested and partly established.
Special attention is directed to connecting IPM to public opinion.

Concerning the definition of common standards for IFP the situation is as follows.
For integrated production of pome fruits IFP-guidelines have already been published by an IOBC/ISHS-joint group.
A stone fruit guideline is in preparation.
In 1996 the work on a IFP-guideline for soft fruit crops will start.

International Conference on Integrated Fruit Production

E. Jörg

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1996.422.114