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Effects of disease control by fungicides on greenhouse gas emissions by UK arable crop production
Author(s) -
Hughes David J,
West Jonathan S,
Atkins Simon D,
Gladders Peter,
Jeger Michael J,
Fitt Bruce DL
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
pest management science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.296
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1526-4998
pISSN - 1526-498X
DOI - 10.1002/ps.2151
Subject(s) - arable land , greenhouse gas , fungicide , environmental science , agriculture , agronomy , crop , tonne , crop yield , plant disease , agricultural science , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , engineering , waste management , ecology
BACKGROUND: The UK government has published plans to reduce UK agriculture's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. At the same time, the goal of global food security requires an increase in arable crop yields. Foliar disease control measures such as fungicides have an important role in meeting both objectives. RESULTS: It is estimated that UK winter barley production is associated with GHG emissions of 2770 kg CO 2 eq. ha −1 of crop and 355 kg CO 2 eq. t −1 of grain. Foliar disease control by fungicides is associated with decreases in GHG emissions of 42–60 kg CO 2 eq. t −1 in UK winter barley and 29–39 kg CO 2 eq. t −1 in UK spring barley. The sensitivity of these results to the impact of disease control on yield and to variant GHG emissions assumptions is presented. Fungicide treatment of the major UK arable crops is estimated to have directly decreased UK GHG emissions by over 1.5 Mt CO 2 eq. in 2009. CONCLUSION: Crop disease control measures such as fungicide treatment reduce the GHG emissions associated with producing a tonne of grain. As national demand for food increases, greater yields as a result of disease control also decrease the need to convert land from non‐arable to arable use, which further mitigates GHG emissions. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry