TABLE CONTENTS

Non-target Effects of Methyl Bromide Alternatives: Statistical
Comparisons and Use of Non-target Nematodes as Indicators
Sánchez-Moreno S., J.L. Alonso-Prados, E. Alonso-Prados, L. Jiménez & J.M. García-
Baudín
Departamento de Protección Vegetal, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria,
Madrid, Spain 28040
In intensive agriculture, the use of pesticides and soil fumigants is necessary to reach
economically viable crops worldwide. However, this practice may involve undesirable effects
on human health and the environment. The first objective of this study was to compare
environmental and toxicological properties of eleven active substances with nematicide
properties, some of them recognized as methyl bromide alternatives.
Four groups of active substances were discriminated by a series of Principal Component
Analyses (PCA): a) High toxicity to non-target fauna, humans and animals and medium
persistence in the environment (cadusafos, ethoprophos and fenamiphos), b) high toxicity to
humans, animals and non-target fauna, high persistence (carbofuran, fosthiazate), c) low
toxicity to non target fauna, humans and animals and low persistence (carbosulfan,
benfuracarb, oxamyl), and d) low toxicity to humans, animals, and non-target fauna and
medium persistence in the environment (1,3-dichloropropene, chloropicrin, methyl bromide).
To evaluate the non-target effects of plant protection products on the environment in field
conditions, effects of 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) and chloropicrin (Pic) are being evaluated
in strawberry crops in Southern Spain. Preliminary results show that, as expected, the
nematode assemblage was deeply disturbed by treatments. Effects of 1,3-D and Pic on nontarget
nematodes in wetlands and pine forests, probably affected by contaminated lixiviates,
will be further evaluated.
In conclusion, our results show that statistical comparisons of the multiple aspects of
toxicological and environmental properties of active substances help us to understand their
complex toxicological behavior, but further field evaluations are required to determine the
behavior and the real effects of such products on specific scenarios.
Management of Nematodes in Plantation Crops
Sheela, M.S.
College of Agriculture, Vellayani 695 522, Kerala Agricultural University
Phytonematodes are extremely important limiting factors in plantation crops especially
pepper, cardamom, tea, coffee, coconut and arecanut. The damage due to nematodes is more
severe in intensive production systems such as nurseries of coconut, tea, cardamom etc.
Although a sizeable number of plant parasitic nematodes have been reported from plantation
crops, only burrowing (Radopholus similis), root-knot (Meloidogyne spp.) and lesion
(Pratylenchus spp.) nematodes can be regarded as economically important.
In pepper, R. similis and Meloidogyne are involved in ‘slow wilt or slow decline’ disease
almost identical to ‘pepper yellows’ in Indonesia. Though there was an effective management
measure the average yield reduction due to this disease was 10-30% in different cropping
situations. Pepper being a perennial crop trailed in live standards, any management measures
need to be repeated every year under Indian conditions. The high density multiple cropping
5 th International Congress of Nematology, 2008 316