Lowering pesticide use in vineyards over a 10-year period did not reduce yield or work intensity
Fouillet E., Gosme M., Metay A., Rapidel B., Rigal C., Smits N., Mérot A.. 2024. European Journal of Agronomy, 158 : 11 p..
Pesticides remain the most efficient way to control pest and disease pressure in vineyards and obtain satisfactory yields in terms of quality and quantity. However, because of the harmful effects of pesticides on human health and the environment, winegrowers have had to change their practices. To reduce pesticide use, winegrowers have a range of levers at their disposal that are implemented at different spatial and temporal scales and with different intensities of change. Beyond simply reducing pesticide use, these changes can also impact farms' economic and social performances notably because vine is a perennial crop with inertia in the impacts of changes operated. In this work, we assessed the covariation between various performances with time. We used the Agrosyst database, which compiles data on the performances of French vineyard cropping systems engaged in a pesticide reduction process for the past 10 years, implementing a reduction of 34%. Based on existing knowledge on transition processes and pesticide reduction in vineyards, we used partial least squares path modelling (PLS-PM) to assess the dynamic trade-offs between different performances during the pesticide use reduction process. We verified the model we built (GoF = 0.44) and found no significant correlation between pesticide reduction, economic performances (operating costs and fuel consumption), technical performance (mechanical work time) or productivity (yield). Interestingly, we did not observe any effect from reducing fungicides on yield. We only noticed a significant correlation between the initial weed control strategy and the change in weed control strategy (ß = 0.18). Furthermore, stopping herbicide use did not affect mechanical work time or costs. Our results are encouraging in terms of maintaining both agronomic and economic performances when reducing pesticides in vineyards.
Mots-clés : pesticide; contrôle de maladies; désherbage; herbicide; système de culture; fongicide; évaluation de l'impact; mauvaise herbe; lutte antiravageur; contrôle de qualité; france
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Agents Cirad, auteurs de cette publication :
- Rapidel Bruno — Persyst / UMR ABSys
- Rigal Clément — Persyst / UMR ABSys