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FORURENS - Strategies for implementation of sound cereal production methods with low loss of pesticides and phosphorus (STRAPP)

INAKTIV SIST OPPDATERT: 20.10.2025
Slutt: des 2015
Start: jan 2013
National cereal production is of large importance for food security.
Status Avsluttet
Start- og sluttdato 01.01.2013 - 31.12.2015
Prosjektleder Marianne Stenrød
Cereal crops cover 30% of the farmland, and most of the cereal area is sprayed annually. Cereal production in Norway contributes 30-72% of the total environmental risk caused by pesticide use in cropping. Adoption of measures to mitigate pollution from agriculture in these areas will have a large potential environmental effect. The conflicts between measures for reduced use of pesticides and measures for reduced phosphorus losses have special concern in cereal production. The main objective of the proposed project is to establish a proposal of sound cereal production methods with reduced pollution from pesticides and phosphorus and their impact on farm economics, and necessary instruments for increased adoption. The sub-objectives include to (1) develop integrated and organic pest management strategies for selected fields with various soil tillage, (2) demonstrate effects of selected pest management strategies on loss of pesticides and phosphorus, and financial results in cereal farming, (3) perform an integrated assessment of the effects of different production methods in cereal on pollution, yield and economic aspects, and (4) identify farmer behaviour regarding integrated pest management and organic farming. This requires a multi-perspective, integrated systems approach. A set of production methods in cereal will be defined and form the basis for simulation and evaluation procedures. Our main focus will be on pest management, but we will also study issues regarding phosphorus, yield, economic returns and farm behaviour as there is a lack of measures and instruments encompassing their conflicting environmental concerns. The project work will show the significance of integrated pest management and organic farming in reducing agriculture-related pollution. This new knowledge will be used to develop instruments for adoption of effective and feasible pollution-reducing measures in cereal production.

Publikasjoner i prosjektet

Sammendrag

In Europe there is an on-going process on implementing regulations aimed at reducing pollution from agricultural production systems, i.e. the Water Framework Directive and the Framework Directive for Sustainable Use of Pesticides. At the same time, there is an increasing focus on food security possibly leading to continued intensification of agricultural production with increased use of external inputs, such as pesticides and fertilizers. Application of sustainable production systems can only be achieved if they balance conflicting environmental and economic effects. In Norway, cereal production is of large importance for food security and reduction of soil and phosphorus losses, as well as pesticide use and leaching/runoff in the cereal production are of special concern. Therefore, we need to determine the most sustainable and effective strategies to reduce loss of top soil, phosphorus and pesticides while maintaining cereal yields. A three-year research project, STRAPP, is addressing these concerns. A catchment area dominated by cereal production is our common research arena within STRAPP. Since 1992 a database (JOVA) with data for soil erosion, nutrient and pesticide leaching/runoff (i.e. concentrations in stream water), yield, and agricultural management practices (fertilization, use of pesticides, soil tillage and rotations) has been established for this catchment allowing us to compare a unique diversity in cropping strategies in a defined location. An important part of STRAPP focuses on developing ‘best plant protection strategies’ for cereal fields in the study area, based on field inventories (manual and sensor based) of weeds and common diseases, available forecast systems, and pesticide leaching risk maps. The results of field studies during the growing seasons of 2013 and 2014 will be presented, with a focus on possible integrated pest management (IPM) strategies for weeds and fungal diseases in cereal production. We will also present the project concept and methods for coupling optimized plant protection strategies to (i) modelling of phosphorus and pesticide leaching/runoff, as well as soil loss, and (ii) farm-economic impacts and adaptations. Further, methods for balancing the conflicting environmental and economic effects of the above practices, and the evaluation of instruments for increased adoption of desirable management practices will be outlined.