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Seed treatments are widely used for the control of seed-borne diseases in cereals. Routine treatment has kept many of these devastating diseases at very low levels but now, owing to increasing environmental pressure, possibilities for reducing their use are being considered as well as alternative strategies for maintaining seed health.

Seed treatments will continue to play an important role in protecting against seed-borne, soil-borne and foliar pests and diseases. Contributions describing new research into both chemical and microbiological seed treatments will be included in this session, with particular emphasis on novel approaches to pest and disease control.

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Some pesticides are biologically active at extremely low levels and spray drift from treated crops has the potential to contaminate adjacent watercourses at levels which may present a risk to aquatic life. Buffer zones have been introduced as a regulatory measure to reduce the level of drift reaching watercourses and yet allow continued use of such valuable pesticides. More recently, buffer zones have also been adopted to protect non-target insects and other arthropods occupying field margin areas. Whilst this approach provides regulators with a simple risk management tool, it has proved unpopular with farmers and growers who have to live with the agronomic and economic consequences of leaving unsprayed areas of crop.

Invited speakers in this session include Dr Andy Croxford (Environment Agency, Wallingford, UK) and Mr Rolf Forster (BBA, Braunschweig, Germany) who will discuss the regulatory use of buffer zones to protect the aquatic and terrestrial environments respectively. Mr Jim Orson (Morley Research Centre, Wymondham, UK) and Dr Nigel Boatman (Allerton Research & Educational Trust, Leicester, UK) will discuss agronomic implications and conservation value of buffer zones respectively.

Chairman: Mr T Tooby (PSD, York, UK)
Session Organiser: Dr P J Campbell (Zeneca Agrochemicals, Jeallotts Hill Research Station, UK)

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The effects of climate change are a matter of ongoing public concern and debate. A principal issue in this debate is the effect that climate change will have on pests and diseases of arable and horticultural crops and much recent research has addressed this question. This session will provide results from detailed investigations of the effect of changes in individual factors (such as increased temperature) on the phenology and population dynamics of individual pests or diseases, to research into changes in community structure and the interactions of different organisms.

Session Organiser: Dr K F A Walters (CSL, York, UK)

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Strategies for the management of pests and diseases of arable crops are continually changing. They do so in response to improvements in our understanding of biology and epidemiology and also in response to economic and ever-increasing, environmental pressures. Changes in legislation can also influence pest and disease control strategies.

Contributions describing new research in all areas of pest and disease control are invited but with particular emphasis on integrated control strategies that include forecasting and novel, non-chemical methods of control.

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Integrated farming systems have been developing in Europe since 1979, initially as experimental research projects notably in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. More recently, this research has been put into practice on commercial pilot farms, supported by specialised extension workers in several countries. Substantial reductions in agrochemical inputs and reduced pollution have been achieved on these farms, and farmers’ profits maintained.

Dr Adel El Titi (State Institute for Plant Protection, Stuttgart, Germany) will discuss technology transfer of integrated farming systems in an environmentally sensitive region in Germany, pilot farm work in the Netherlands will be addressed by Mr Frank Wijnands (Applied Research for Arable Farming, Lelystad, the Netherlands) and Miss Caroline Drummond (LEAF, Stoneleigh, UK) will illustrate practical approaches in the UK for technology transfer of integrated farming onto the farm.

Chairman & Session Organiser: Mrs S E Ogilvy (ADAS, High Mowthorpe, UK)

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The advances in computer technology and other engineering systems are making possible a much more precise approach to all operations in farming. Precision farming is a concept that is beginning to be realised in terms of novel commercial equipment and the acquisition of detailed crop and soil information (in space and time), leading to advanced management strategies. But how far will this revolution go? What are the benefits that can be achieved in practice and will new concepts in engineering and site-specific agronomy be available to match the complexities of farming?

Professor Pierre Robert (University of Minnesota, St Paul, USA) will indicate how scientific understanding of the variability in crop systems suggests the scope for precision solutions. Professor Brian Legg (Silsoe Research Institute, Bedford, UK) will layout the potential for new technological means to increase precision in farming and Dr David Brightman (Gaydon Hill Farm, Warwick, UK) will give a practical perspective on the introduction of precision approaches on to the farm.

Chairman: Mr R J Cook (MAFF, London, UK)
Session Organiser: Prof W Day (Silsoe Research Institute, Bedford, UK

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