The analysis of 142 agricultural soil samples collected in organic farms across Poland with the intent to evaluate the level of DDT contamination resulted in more than 80% of the soils containing DDT. The ΣDDT (sum of all metabolites and isomers) concentration ranged between 0.005 and 0.383 mg/kg ΣDDT, with an average value of 0.064 mg/kg ΣDDT. However, the majority of plant samples collected from the crops growing on the sampled soils did not contain detectable DDT residues. The high DDT pollution levels detected in samples from four voivodeships (regions) among those monitored have been hypothesised to be linked to horticultural productions occurring to the sampled fields and typical of those regions, particularly in big-sized farms, during the period of DDT application, as well as the number of pesticides landfills present in these voivodeships. The elaboration of the o,p′-DDT/p,p′-DDT and DDT/(DDE + DDD) ratios to appraise the source or the period of contamination suggested that the contamination originated from past use of DDT rather than from impurities of more recent applications of other formulated substances. Such outcome thus suggests that the risk of contamination of organic products is likely derived from general environmental pollution levels rather than from the use of unauthorised substances in organic farming productions. Data from a trial with artificial contamination of soils indicated that using the DDT/(DDE + DDD) ratio in the presence of a low level of contamination could be less reliable than in highly contaminated soils.

This study was conducted in an experimental ecological orchard in central Poland in [2011][2012][2013]. The experiment assessed the variation in damage to the fruit of ten apple cultivars by the codling moth Cydia pomonella (L.) under an organic system of apple cultivation. The cultivars were divided into two groups according to their susceptibility to apple scab Venturia inaequalis (Cooke) Wint. The first group of apple trees (A) consisted of cultivars resistant to scab (Enterprise, Gold Milenium, Rajka, Rewena, and Topaz), while the second group (B) consisted of cultivars with reduced susceptibility to scab (Delbard Jubile, Ligolina, Pinova, Piros, and Szampion). All of the trees of the evaluated cultivars were protected against the codling moth by applying treatments containing the codling moth granulosis virus (CpGV). Codling moth adults were monitored using pheromone traps during the study period. Each year, an assessment of fruit damage was made for all apple cultivars. The 3-year average percentage of damaged fruit for group A ranged from 1.0% (Gold Milenium) to 4.1% (Topaz), and in group B from 1.3% (Piros) to 3.3% (Pinova). Overall, the highest percentage of damaged fruit was recorded in 2013.

The purpose of the study was to determine damage to apple fruit by the rosy apple aphid, depending on the cultivars and rootstocks. In two-year field investigations (2011 and 2012) the highest percentage of damages was notice on Szampion cultivars growing on M.9 and Rewena cultivars growing on M.26. The lowest percentage of damages was found on Topaz and Delbard Jubile cultivars growing on M.9. It seems that a cultivar has higher influence than a rootstock on the damages of apple fruits caused by rosy apple aphid.

SummaryThe occurrence of leaf rollers ( ). Podczas prowadzenia obserwacji dominującym gatunkiem zwójek była wydłubka oczateczka, a regularny lot motyli rozpoczynał się w połowie czerwca lub na początku lipca. Drugim licznie odławianym gatunkiem była zwójka rdzaweczka. Największą liczbę motyli tego gatunku odławiano w latach 2010-2011. Zanotowano po dwa maksima lotów: w 2010 r. w połowie czerwca i trzeciej dekadzie sierpnia, a w 2011 r. od połowy do końca czerwca oraz w pierwszej połowie września. Trzecim licznie odławianym gatunkiem zwójek była zwójka siatkóweczka, a maksima jej lotów odnotowano w połowie czerwca. Pozostałe dwa gatunki obserwowanych zwójek występowały w zdecydowanie mniejszym nasileniu.