Decision support tools for environmentally safe use of pesticides

Prevention of environmental risk due to pesticide application is demanded by EU legislation regarding water and crop protection issues. The pesticide users are required to take responsibility for the environmental consequences of applications. Therefore they need to make responsible decisions at both strategic and tactical level. The first one is a long term decision on selection of equipment, and the other applies to decisions on use of equipment in actual meteorological and environmental situation at any time when treatment is needed. In order to assist the user to make proper decisions the decision support tools were developed in form of web-based applications: EOS - Environmentally Optimised Sprayer; DET--Drift Evaluation Tool. EOS performs evaluation of the sprayer in terms of its risk mitigation potential based on the technical solutions present on the sprayer and selected by the user. EOS has been designed as a stepwise structured questionnaire, divided in sections representing different sources of pollution, i.e. RISK AREAS (step 1): Inside contamination; outside contamination; Filling; Spray Loss (Drift); Remnants. Within each RISK AREA there were identified PROBLEMS (step 2) to be solved by different TECHNOLOGIES (step 3), evaluated in different ASPECTS (step 4) when the user selects TECHNICAL SOLUTION (step 5) used on the sprayer. The items of steps 1-4 were assigned weights (%) and the items of TECHNICAL SOLUTIONs were scored from 0 to 10 (10 = best in class). This stepwise approach and valuation of items allows for calculating the effective score of each individual TECHNICAL SOLUTION in terms of its risk mitigation potential. The sum of these individual scores related to the final score of environmentally optimised sprayer gives the evaluated sprayer's EOS index (%) expressing the environmental value of the sprayer. DET performs evaluation of drift risk in actual situation, and proposes measures to mitigate this risk, helping the operator to make better tactical decisions. It consists of three sections: (I) SPRAY APPLICATION SITE; (II) METEO and FIELD CONDITIONS; (III) DRIFT RISK MITIGATION. Within the sections (I) and (II) the user makes selection of options defining the distance between application site and sensitive areas, as well as weather and field/crop conditions. The selected items describe the actual and objective situation, for which DET calculates the Drift Risk Value [%] followed by appropriate recommendation. In section (III) the user can simulate and check the effect of drift mitigation measures by selecting one of the classified spray drift reduction technologies or key application parameters affecting risk of drift. Based on the user's selection the tool appropriately modifies the Drift Risk Value and gives the final recommendation. Simple and practical EOS and DET tools are meant to be used by pesticide users and advisors as they also have educative and awareness raising value.