The traditional risk assessment for Plant Protection Products (PPP) in the EU focused only on the acute effects on honey bees. A new EFSA guidance has been developed, which covers more risk scenarios, and also considers bumble bees and solitary bees.
Dr Neus Rodriguez- Sanchez, of Kerona Scientific, presented a poster at the SETAC Europe 30th Annual Meeting (3-7, May 2020) considering the current challenges of the bee risk assessment under the new EFSA guidance for cereal crops.
Two main conclusions were drawn from this work- while further research is needed on the toxicity of PPP to bumble bees and solitary bees and their routes of exposure, the application of PPP to cereal crops can pose a risk to bees when there are flowering weeds within the crop.
For further information or to request a copy of the poster contact Kerona Scientific at info@kerona.ie