China intensifies crackdown on pesticides，counterfeit seeds

Source:Xinhua News　2012-2-29

China will intensify a special crackdown on counterfeit seeds, pesticides, fertilizers and other agricultural materials, according to a statement issued at a working conference on Tuesday.
The campaign, carried out by nine government departments including the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and the Ministry of Agriculture, features "resolutely solving relevant cases, strictly punishing violations in order to safeguard the country"s food safety and food security," the statement said.
During several of the MPS"s special campaigns launched last year, the police nationwide have solved over 3,000 cases involving counterfeit agricultural materials, arrested more than 5,000 suspects, and closed 4,000 illegal sites for such violations, the statement said.
The MPS also called for cooperative efforts among relevant authorities to strengthen the supervision and investigation of the offenses.
Moreover, further measures should be taken to improve the farmers" risk awareness of counterfeit goods and encourage them to report on such violations, the statement said.
Also on Tuesday, the MPS published 10 typical cases the police had solved related to counterfeit agricultural materials, including two cases each involving over 10 million yuan (1.59 million U.S. dollars) of money, that took place in the provinces of Shandong and Henan, respectively.

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Pioneer chemical product - pencycuron

1. Description: the material shall consist of pencycuron together with related manufacturing impurities and shall be in the form of colourless crystal, free from visible extraneous matter and added modifying agents.
2. Common Name: pencycuron
3. Chemical Name (IUPAC): 1-(4-chlorobenzyl)-1-cyclopentyl-3-phenylurea
4. CAS Number: 66063-05-6
5. Identity test: identity of the active constituent must be established by one or more of the following methods: spectroscopic tests (IR spectrum, NMR, mass spectra), Chromatography (HPLC or GC retention time with reference compound) or any other suitable test method.
6. Composition
6.1 Active constituent: 950 g/kg minimum
7. Analytical methods
The analytical method used for the determination of the active constituent and toxicological significant impurities must be validated in accordance with the APVMA guidelines for the validation of analytical methods.
The APVMA guidelines on validation of analytical methods state that “Analytical methods described in CIPAC handbooks and AOAC International Manual, and in recognized pharmacopoeias [BP, BP (Vet), Ph Eur and USP] for a particular active constituent or formulation are regarded as validated and do not require revalidation. However, the suitability of these methods must be verified under actual conditions of use i.e., the selectivity and accuracy of the method should be demonstrated for the published method when applied to the relevant sample matrix and laboratory conditions.  

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Review on Development and Application of Dicamba

By: TAN Hai-jun,TIAN Lin
As a selective,systemic,and post-emergence auxinic herbicide,dicamba has been widely used for weed control in fields of maize,sorghum,sugarcane,pasture and non-cropland,with long duration of efficacy.It will help dicamba to get broad prospects with the further development of dicamba-resistant crops and new dicamba-containing combination formulations.A brief review of recent development and application of dicamba was introduced in this paper.

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Analysis of Organophosphorus Pesticides

Analysis of Organophosphorus Pesticides with Agilent 682Fifteen of the most common and important organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) were studied using the Agilent 6820 gas chromatograph (GC) equipped with the new nitrogen-phosphorus detector (NPD). The 6820 GC-NPD demonstrated good linearity for concentrations of pesticides range from 1 to 500 ng/mL (R2 >0.999) for most compounds. All OPs produced high signal-to-noise ratios for splitless injections at 10 ng/mL (ppb) concentrations with the NPD detector. Instrumental limits of detection for most OPs studied were at low or sub-ppb concentrations. This suggests the 6820 GC with an NPD is well suited for OP pesticide residue determinations in foods, water, or other samples.0 Gas Chromatograph/Nitrogen Phosphorus Detector

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What is the difference between Pencycuron and Flutolanil

Flutolanil is a systemic fungicide for use specifically against basidiomycetes. It can be applied to foliage, to soil or paddy water and as a seed treatment. Following application, it is translocated acropetally. The fungicide inhibits hyphal growth and infection cushion formation. When used on seed potatoes, it has season-long activity. Flutolanil is safe to target crops at up to 10-times the recommended use rate. The product has the lowest chemical loading of all current seed treatments and is extremely safe for both crops and operator.

Flutolanil is active against all strains of Rhizoctonia solani whereas the current standard treatment, Monceren (pencyuron) is strong on the major AG3 strain but is weak against AG3 and AG4. Repeated use of pencycuron may select for an increased prevalence of strains other than AG3.
RhiNo is reported (Farmers Weekly, 2003) to provide some protection against silver scurf (Helminthosporium solani) on potatoes.
Flutolanil was one of seven fungicides tested (Crop Prot., 2003) for the control of daylily rust (Puccinia hemerocallidis), an emerging problem in the US ornamentals market.
A long term study was conducted in the US (Agronomy J., 2003) to assess effects of cultivation methods on disease control in the southeastern peanut / cotton rotation practice. Flutolanil was shown to provide good control of soil-borne disease and increased yield in peanuts, regardless of the type of cultivation (conventional-, reduced- and minimum-tillage).
Plant back intervals have been established and approved by the EPA. These are generally 12 months for other crops grown in the rotation (excluding peanuts and rice), but only 240 days for corn, soya or cotton; and 150 days for leafy vegetables and small grain cereals (IR4 workshop, 2003).
Prostar is labelled in the US for the control of various turf diseases including brown patch (Rhizoctonia solani), yellow patch (R cerealis), southern blight (Sclerotium rolfsii), red thread (Laetisaria fuciformis) and fairy ring.
Trials on soybeans in the Parana river basin area of southern Paraguay showed some control of Asian soybean rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi) by flutolanil and many other fungicides (USDA, 2003). However, disease incidence was low.

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Using dicamba : Study on Callus Induction and Plant Regeneration from Mature Embryos of Barley Elite Cultivars

Ten barley elite lines and cultivars were studied to determine the influence of genotypes, different seed cutting, media and plant hormones on the embryo-derived callus induction and plant regeneration. The results indicated that the callus induction rate of seed cutting longitudinally was higher than that of seed cutting laterally. Modified MS improved callus formation. Barley cultivars showed different response to plant hormones 2,4-D and Dicamba. The induced primary callus ultimately yielded two types of embryonic callus after subculture of 3 cycles. Regeneration media added different concentration of organic nutrients influenced plant regeneration of different barley genotypes. Albinos were observed in several cultivars after long-time subculture. Callus could be induced from all the tested cultivars, however, plant regeneration was only obtained in several genotypes. Among the ten barley cultivars 87-3175,87-0053,97-4010,97-6004 and 208813-509 were identified with good performance in callus induction and plant regeneration.  

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Study Ties Some Pesticides to Risk of ADHD in Children

A.D.H.D. is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Government estimates say three to seven percent of school-age children in the United States have it. Adults can also have it. People with A.D.H.D. have problems with paying attention, controlling their behavior and being overly active.
Now, a study has linked an increased risk of A.D.H.D. in children to exposure to some kinds of pesticides. The chemicals are known as organophosphate pesticides. They kill insects by attacking their nervous systems. Earlier studies have shown that some of the compounds cause hyperactivity and thinking deficits in laboratory animals.
Researchers at the University of Montreal in Canada and Harvard University in Massachusetts did the study. It involved more than one thousand one hundred children between the ages of eight and fifteen. One hundred nineteen of them were identified as having A.D.H.D.
The researchers tested all the children for products that break down from organophosphates. Maryse Bouchard of the University of Montreal and Harvard lead the research team. She says, "The higher the level of pesticide residue in the urine, the higher the risk of A.D.H.D. in the children."
The scientists reported that the risk of the disorder was almost double in children with high levels compared to those with no measurable level. They say exposure at levels common among children in the United States may increase the chances that a child will be diagnosed with A.D.H.D.
Maryse Bouchard says the study found that exposure could play a part in behaviors such as inattention and hyperactivity. But she also says the study does not prove that the chemicals cause the disorder.
MARYSE BOUCHARD: "We can’t affirm that exposure to pesticides is causing A.D.H.D. We would need a different type of study to say that."
The researchers say forty organophosphate pesticides are registered with the United States government. The chemicals are used to protect fruits and vegetables. They are also used to poison insects in other places such as homes.
Lynn Goldman is an environmental health scientist at Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health in Maryland. She notes that the use of pesticides, including organophosphates, is widespread in developing countries. Children come in contact with high levels of pesticides through farming.
LYNN GOLDMAN: "And those kids have much more serious, much more severe neurological problems. So we do see evidence of effects in those populations globally."
The study was published in the journal Pediatrics.
And that"s the VOA Special English Health Report, written by Caty Weaver with Jessica Berman. I"m Steve Ember.

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