Environmental pesticide distribution in horticultural and floricultural periurban production units

The environmental pesticide distribution on non-target systems (soil, drift and agricultural plastics) during the application step at small periurban production units, was studied in open field and greenhouses, for different crops (tomato, lettuce, broccoli, strawberry and flowers) using different pesticides (endosulfan, procymidone, chlorothalonil, chlorpyrifos and deltamethrin). In all cases, soil was the most exposed non-target system. For greenhouses, a general pesticide distribution was found of approximately 2/3 for crop, 1/4 for soil and 1/20 for plastic, of the total amount applied. In horticultural open fields, although the distribution was very dependent on the crop size and type, soil was also the most exposed non-target subsystem. Pesticide drift seems not to be significant in these production units, whilst pesticide accumulation on agricultural plastics reached up to 45% of the total applied, for polyethylene mulching in strawberry fields.

► Pesticide distribution amongst non-target systems was studied in open-field and greenhouse applications.
► After the crop itself, the ground was the most exposed system, in all situations.
► In greenhouses, a distribution was found of roughly 2/3 for crop, 1/4 for soil and 1/20 for plastic.
► Polyethylene mulching in strawberry fields accumulated up to 45% of the total pesticide applied.
► Drift seems to be unimportant in these production units.