United Kingdom
December 12, 2023
A collaborative effort to allow a vital seed treatment for 2024 sowing has succeeded. Emergency authorisation of the Force seed treatment for bulb onions was passed on 1st December 2023 and will enable its use until 15th April 2024. Rae Cook, chair of the British Society of Plant Breeders (BSPB) seed treatment forum explains:
Rae Cook
“The combined efforts of the BSPB, Horticulture Crop Protection UK Ltd (HCP), British Onion Producers Association (BOPA) and Syngenta UK Ltd has secured this essential seed treatment. The threat of bean seed fly can be too great without it and all those involved are appreciative of the prompt response and support of the Chemicals Regulation Division (CRD) of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).”
Whilst authorisation has been passed to use the seed treatment, the CRD expects farmers and growers to follow the conditions of use carefully and diligently.
“Seed treatments represent a highly accurate and targeted application of plant protection products that deliver the product exactly where it is needed. Growers need to hold a copy of the approval and stewardship form, which can be found on the pesticide database of the HSE website” adds Mrs Cook.
She also suggests there is the potential for further emergency authorisations for other crops that could be made available.
“We need users to comply with the details of all stewardship instructions to demonstrate best practice and encourage the authorisation of more seed treatments to aid seedling establishment in the future,” she concludes.
About BSPB
The British Society of Plant Breeders (BSPB) is the representative body for the UK plant breeding industry. Acting on members’ behalf, BSPB licenses, collects, and distributes certified seed royalties and farm-saved seed payments on agricultural and horticultural crops. The Society represents members’ interests on technical, regulatory, and intellectual property matters, and works to promote continued innovation and investment in UK plant breeding.
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