Pesticide use in greenhouses in 2012

Statistics Norway conducted its second survey on the use of biological control agents and chemical pesticides in greenhouses in 2012. The survey comprised the following crops: cut flowers, other ornamental plants (flowering potted plants, bedding plants and decorative plants), lettuce, herbs, tomatoes and cucumbers.

The voluntary sample survey comprised a gross sample of 504 greenhouse holdings. The survey had a response rate of 76 per cent. However, the response rate varied significantly by crop, from 70 for herbs to 83 for ornamental plants and tomatoes.

Biological control agents were applied on 32 per cent of the area of ornamental crops, and 90 per cent of the area of edible crops. The percentage of cut flower area treated with biological control agents was 16, while the corresponding proportion of other ornamental plants was 35 per cent. In edible crops like cucumbers, herbs, tomatoes and lettuce, the area were 99, 86, 86 and 81 per cent respectively.

Treatments against spider mite accounted for the largest percentage of accumulated areas of biological control agents in cut flowers, while treatments against aphids were most common in areas of other ornamental plants, lettuce and herbs. In areas of tomatoes were treatments against whitefly most common, while treatments against spider mite and thrips accounted for the largest proportion of accumulated areas of biological control agents in cucumbers.

The extent of chemical pesticide usage varied by type of crop. Ornamental crops comprised 74 per cent of the accumulated area treated with different pesticides, while edible crops accounted for 26 per cent. The percentage of cut flower area treated with chemical pesticides at least once was 71, while 84 per cent of other ornamental plants was treated. 64 per cent of the cucumber area was treated at least once chemically, as compared with 49 per cent of the lettuce area and 31 per cent of the tomato area.

Growth regulators accounted for 55 per cent of the accumulated pesticide treated area of ornamental crops, insecticides 28 per cent and fungicides 17 per cent.

In edible crops fungicides accounted for almost 57 percent and insecticides for 43 percent of the accumulated area treated with pesticides. Insecticides were the most important control agents on areas of tomatoes and lettuce, while fungicides were the major group used on cucumbers.