Practical Manual for the Rational Use of Pesticides

Author: Institute for the Control of Pesticides, Ministry of Agriculture
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-02-01
Features: To guide the scientific, rational, and safe use of pesticides, we have compiled the GB/T 8321.1～8321.7 "Guidelines for Rational Use of Pesticides" (Volumes 1-7) national standards into a single volume in a unified format for convenient use by agricultural and plant protection personnel at all levels and relevant departments. This manual summarizes the content of the national standards "Guidelines for Rational Use of Pesticides" (Volumes 1-7) and includes 183 pesticides (active ingredients), covering over 20 types of crops and nearly 400 scientific and rational use standards. Each standard has undergone two-year residue trials and was formulated based on a large amount of residue data. For each standard, the application rate (concentration), number of applications, application method, safety interval, maximum residue limit reference value, and application precautions for each pesticide formulation to control pests, diseases, and weeds in each crop are specified. Applying pesticides according to the technical indicators specified in the standards can effectively control crop pests, diseases, and weeds. Improving agricultural product quality, preventing pesticide damage and poisoning incidents in humans and animals, reducing application costs, preventing or delaying the development of resistance, protecting the ecological environment, ensuring that pesticide residues in harvested agricultural products do not exceed the prescribed limit standards, and safeguarding human health.
After the national standards were promulgated and implemented, they achieved significant economic, social, and ecological benefits. They were awarded the First Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award for Standardization Science and Technology in 1989 and the Second Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award in 1990.
China has a vast territory, and the occurrence of crop pests, diseases, and weeds, as well as pesticide usage levels, vary greatly across regions. Local authorities should actively adopt effective non-chemical control methods based on local conditions. When using chemical pesticides, appropriate pesticides should be selected based on pest occurrence, and the best application timing should be mastered. Blind application must be avoided. Pesticides should be applied according to the specified application rate (or concentration) and number of applications, and the application rate (or concentration) and number of applications should not be arbitrarily increased. If further control is needed after applying the specified number of times, other suitable pesticide varieties should be used. A single pesticide should not be used repeatedly multiple times.
The safety interval is the factor most closely related to pesticide residues in agricultural products. When applying the final dose, the interval days between application and harvest must be calculated, and it must not be less than the safety interval specified in the standards. Throughout the entire growth period of a crop, different types of pesticides should be alternated to control pests and diseases. This not only ensures good control but also prevents pesticide residues in agricultural products from exceeding the standard limits and avoids or delays the development of resistance.