ISHS Acta Horticulturae 422: International Conference on Integrated Fruit Production
THE CURRENT STATUS OF INTEGRATED POME FRUIT PRODUCTION IN WESTERN EUROPE AND ITS ACHIEVEMENTS. |
| Authors: | J.V. Cross, A. Bonauer, V. Bondio, J. Clemente, J. Denis, J. Grauslund, C. Huguet, E. Jörg, S. Koning, A. Kvale, C. Malavolta, R. Marcelle, I. Morandell, H. Oberhofer, M. Pontalti, F. Polesny, M. Rossini, A. Schenk, C. de Schaetzen, M. Vilajeliu |
| Abstract:
A survey of integrated pome fruit production (IFP) in western Europe in 1994 was conducted by the IOBC/WPRS and ISHS Joint Group for Integrated Fruit Production. It showed that IFP and similar quality assurance (QA) schemes were operating in nearly all fruit producing countries in western Europe accounting for approximately 35% of the total area of pome fruit production (c 322,000 ha). The area has increased by 40% since the last survey was conducted in 1991. A total of 31 regional or national IFP or QA organisations were identified. The development of schemes in several other major fruit producing areas of the world including South Africa, eastern Europe, USA, New Zealand and Argentina is noted. The regional/national guidelines of nearly all of the organisations did not comply in all respects with the IOBC/ISHS Euro-guidelines for IFP. There were important differences in 26 cases, including the permitting of the use of post-harvest treatment with an anti-oxidant for long term storage of superficial scald susceptible cultivars (5 cases), substantial permitted use of persistent residual herbicides (21 cases), permitted use of synthetic plant growth regulators (4 cases) and permitted use of chemical soil sterilisation for nematode control (1 case). However, in most regional or national guidelines requirements for some aspects of production were significantly higher than those of the IOBC/ISHS IFP Euro-guidelines. Control procedures, usually by the IFP/QA organisation or by horticultural advisors, to ensure minimum requirements of the regional or national guidelines were upheld, varied substantially between regions (e.g. 0–100% of farms inspected) as did the proportion of growers excluded from IFP certification due to non-compliance with regional or national guidelines (range 0–47%). Where IFP principles were adhered to strictly, a generally higher standard of horticultural practice resulted, including improved intrinsic and extrinsic fruit quality, though such benefits were difficult to quantify. A further important achievement was a higher standard of integrated plant protection, substantial (up to 30%) reduction in pesticide use, and use of less environmentally damaging pesticides. | |
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