Risk perception and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in pesticide use: does risk shape farmers' safety behavior?

Risk perception and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in pesticide use were studied in 109 farmers of northern Greece. Farmers differed in the levels of pesticide risk perception, with 26.6% showing very low and low levels, 34.9% showing moderate levels, and 38.5% showing high and very high levels. Pesticide risk perception was positively correlated with education and large cultivated area, but negatively with age and non-farming as a main profession. Most farmers (82.6%) showed adequate use of PPE (mostly face mask and gloves). The use of PPE was positively correlated with education and risk perception, but negatively with age and non-farming as a main profession. Farmers with high levels of risk perception used 1.3 and 2.6 times more PPE items than those with moderate and low levels of risk perception, respectively. High education was a positive predictor, whereas main profession other than farming was a negative predictor of PPE use.

Herbicide resistance evolution, fitness cost, and the fear of the superweeds.

Despite considerable differences in cropping systems around the globe, chemical weed control is a key tool in conventional agroecosystems, which has led to an increase in herbicide resistance. Although mutations causing resistance are thought to have an adaptation cost in resistant plants compared to the susceptible ones under herbicide-free conditions, such cost may not always express or will express under certain ecological conditions. To ensure that herbicides will keep going as viable instruments in agricultural production, strategies to minimize resistance are needed. Proactive or reactive strategies for weed control should utilize an overall integrated weed management approach by combining as many weed management practices as possible. The term 'superweed' was used initially to describe the phenomenon in which genetically engineered crops would become troublesome weeds and that the genes of interest would spread into related weeds, rendering them problematic, or into wild species, turning them into troublesome weeds. Contrary to the above definition, the use of this term in the literature has often been linked with herbicide resistance, mostly related to the cultivation of genetically engineered crops and the related increase in the use of glyphosate, which rapidly selected resistant weed populations. From a scientific point of view, weeds are better survivors than non-weedy species and cause crop problems because they have several unique traits, e.g., they are aggressive, adapt easily to different environments, produce many seeds, compete strongly with crops, disperse easily, are difficult to control, traits which occur whether weeds are herbicide-resistant or not. We propose that the term 'superweed' should be referred to weeds with resistant populations to several herbicides with diverse modes of action (MOAs).

Safety behavior in pesticide use among farmers of northern Greece: the role of information sources.

BACKGROUND: Farmers' compliance with common safety practices in pesticide use (i.e., keeping records of pesticide applications, reading the information of pesticide labels, and taking protective measures during pesticide handling) and the use of information sources about pesticides were studied in a simple random sample of farmers in Evros Province, northern Greece. RESULTS: According to the three common safety practices considered in the study, most farmers (56.9%) complied with safety practices. Nevertheless, a noticeable proportion of the farmers never kept records of pesticide applications (33.9%), never read the information of pesticide labels (20.2%), and never took protective measures during pesticide handling (24.8%). Farmers reported using up to six different sources of information about pesticides, but the majority (51.4%) reported using up to one source and almost one-third (33.9%) relied on own sources. The most common information source about pesticides was the staff of the agricultural supply stores, used by 88.1% of the farmers. Safety behavior was positively correlated with total sources of information (P < 0.01) and information by the agricultural supply stores (P < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis showed that safety behavior was reduced in females, whereas it was increased in farmers with high education, high number of plots, and high level of information sources. CONCLUSION: Despite good levels of safety behavior by most farmers, keeping records of sprayings should be improved. Using multiple information sources about pesticides is crucial to improve safety behavior of farmers. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Herbicide use in conventional cereal production in northern Greece: An appraisal through the theory of planned behavior.

BACKGROUND: Herbicides are the major method of weed control in most conventional cropping systems, but what affects farmers' intention to use herbicides has not been studied extensively. This study examined herbicide use among cereal farmers of northern Greece and tested for the first time whether the theory of planned behavior (TPB) can explain farmers' behavior in the adoption of herbicide use. RESULTS: Most farmers showed favorable attitudes towards herbicide use (71.2%), high levels of perceived behavioral control (PBC) of herbicide use (62.4%), and positive intention to use herbicides (67.6%). By contrast, most farmers (60.4%) were negative in following the advice of others in the adoption of herbicides. Finally, most farmers (82.8%) used herbicides in cereal production. The TPB explained 47.6% of the variation in farmers' intention to use herbicides. Logistic regression showed that intention and PBC positively affected (P < 0.01) farmers' behavior in herbicide use, explaining 45.8-76.2% of the variation in farmers' behavior. Path analysis showed that attitudes, subjective norms, and PBC had a direct impact on intention. Gender had an indirect impact on intention through PBC, while age and farming as a main profession had an indirect impact on intention through attitudes and subjective norms. Furthermore, education had an indirect impact on intention through attitudes and PBC. CONCLUSION: Farmers' intentions and behavior in the use of herbicides in cereal production could be explained by the TPB. Attitudes showed the strongest total effect on the intention to use herbicides. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Farmers' Training on Pesticide Use Is Associated with Elevated Safety Behavior.

Occupational exposure to pesticides in agricultural applications may cause acute and long-term health effects to farmers, and thus research on factors that reduce exposure is useful. However, studies on the relevance and effectiveness of training are limited. The association of previous training in the form of intensive seminars relating to pesticide use (e.g., use of spraying equipment, application parameters, use of personal protective equipment, risks to human health and the environment) with farmers' knowledge and behavior in pesticide use was studied via the self-reporting method in a purposive sample of 82 trained and non-trained farmers. Most trained farmers showed higher levels of knowledge of pesticide use, higher levels of beliefs in pesticide hazard control, and higher levels of safety behavior than non-trained farmers. Knowledge of pesticide use and beliefs regarding pesticide hazard control were significantly correlated with safety behavior in both groups of farmers. Concerning farmers' beliefs regarding pesticide hazard control, trained farmers were more likely to think that safety precautions work very well and less likely to feel they had little control over avoiding pesticide hazards. Overall, previous training was associated with increased levels of farmers' knowledge of pesticides and beliefs about pesticide hazard control, was accompanied by elevated safety behavior in farmers, and thus was connected with lower occupational exposure to pesticides. Interventions that facilitate knowledge and compliance with safety behaviors should become a priority for decreasing exposure to pesticides among farmers.

Morpho-physiological responses of sunflower to foliar applications of chlormequat chloride (CCC) / Respostas morfo-fisiológicas de girassol para aplicacões foliares de chlormequat chloride (CCC)

Chlormequat chloride (CCC) is used to inhibit extension growth in cereals and promote branching and flowering in potted ornamental plants produced in greenhouses; however, experimental data on the use of CCC in field sunflower are limited. Field experiments were conducted to study the effect of foliar applications of CCC at rates of 3,000 g ha-1 (single application) and 3,000 plus 3,000 g ha-1 (double application) on the morphology and productivity of sunflower plants. CCC provoked some foliar injury on sunflower plants within a week after application, but the effect was transient; the symptoms were reduced over time and the plants recovered completely. Single application of CCC did not provide significant height reduction of sunflower plants as opposed to double application, which reduced plant height at maturity by 12.7% (or by 43.4 cm). Both application schemes promoted flowering and induced the production of more achenes, but finally resulted in reduced achene yield per plant by 17.8% and 20.3%, respectively, compared with the non-treated control. The achene yield reduction resulted by the reduction in the 100-achene weight. The study provides new evidence that allow a better understanding of the mode of action of CCC in sunflower. Overall, the foliar applications of CCC at the rates tested in this study either did not provide any advantage in terms of height reduction of sunflower plants or the height reduction achieved was accompanied by significant reduction in achene yield. On the basis of all the above, CCC does not appear to be a suitable growth regulator for the control of plant height in sunflower.

Chlormequat chloride (CCC) é usado para inibir o crescimento em altura em cereais e promover a ramificação e floração em plantas ornamentais envasadas produzidas em estufas; no entanto, os dados experimentais sobre o uso de CCC em girassol são limitados. Os experimentos de campo foram conduzidos para estudar o efeito de aplicações foliares de CCC a taxas de 3.000 g ha-1 (aplicação simples) e 3.000 + 3.000 g ha-1 (aplicação dupla) sobre a morfologia e a produtividade das plantas de girassol. A aplicação de CCC provocou algum dano nas folhas de girassol em uma semana após a aplicação, mas o efeito foi transitório; os sintomas foram reduzidos ao longo do tempo e as plantas recuperaram completamente. Aplicação simples de CCC não propiciaram redução significativa da altura de plantas de girassol em oposição à dupla aplicação, que provocou redução da altura das plantas, na maturidade, de 12.7% (ou 43.4 cm). Ambos os esquemas de aplicação promoveram floração e induziram a produção de mais aquênios, mas finalmente resultaram em redução do rendimento de aquênios por planta de 17.8% e 20.3%, respectivamente, em comparação com o controle não tratado. A redução de rendimento de aquênios foi provocada pela redução do peso de 100 aquénios, porque o número de aquénios enchidos não foi afectado significativamente. O estudo fornece novas evidências de que permitem uma melhor compreensão do modo de ação do CCC em girassol. No geral, as aplicações foliares de CCC nas taxas testadas neste estudo, ou não fornecem qualquer vantagem em termos de redução da altura de plantas de girassol, ou a redução da altura alcançada foi acompanhada de redução significativa no rendimento de aquênios. Com base no que precede, CCC não parece ser um regulador de crescimento adequado para o controle da altura das plantas em girassol.

Farmers' Exposure to Pesticides: Toxicity Types and Ways of Prevention.

Synthetic pesticides are extensively used in agriculture to control harmful pests and prevent crop yield losses or product damage. Because of high biological activity and, in certain cases, long persistence in the environment, pesticides may cause undesirable effects to human health and to the environment. Farmers are routinely exposed to high levels of pesticides, usually much greater than those of consumers. Farmers' exposure mainly occurs during the preparation and application of the pesticide spray solutions and during the cleaning-up of spraying equipment. Farmers who mix, load, and spray pesticides can be exposed to these chemicals due to spills and splashes, direct spray contact as a result of faulty or missing protective equipment, or even drift. However, farmers can be also exposed to pesticides even when performing activities not directly related to pesticide use. Farmers who perform manual labor in areas treated with pesticides can face major exposure from direct spray, drift from neighboring fields, or by contact with pesticide residues on the crop or soil. This kind of exposure is often underestimated. The dermal and inhalation routes of entry are typically the most common routes of farmers' exposure to pesticides. Dermal exposure during usual pesticide handling takes place in body areas that remain uncovered by protective clothing, such as the face and the hands. Farmers' exposure to pesticides can be reduced through less use of pesticides and through the correct use of the appropriate type of personal protective equipment in all stages of pesticide handling.