A study of common crop pests in allotment gardens around Leeds

Abstract

SUMMARY Questionnaires completed by 140 growers from 12 allotment sites around Leeds, West Yorkshire, listed a wide range of crop pests. Of the seven crops grown by over 50 per cent of the growers, brassicas, potatoes and carrots were damaged more frequently than expected from the average frequency for all 20 crops, peas and celery less often, and beans and onions at about the expected frequency. The main pests reported for brassicas and potatoes were slugs, and the most common pest of carrots was carrot fly. Further examination of 92 plots revealed a large number of pests; slugs, carrot fly (Psila rosae (F.)), aphids and cabbage root fly (Delia brassicae (Wiedemann)) were the most common. Results for soil samples showed pale potato cyst nematode (Globodera pallida (Stone) Behrens) to be at potentially damaging population levels in 21 out of 33 plots sampled at 10 allotment sites established for more than five years and in one of six plots sampled at two newly formed allotment sites. Soil sampling for carrot fly at eight allotment sites revealed widespread overwintering populations of about 1·5 larvae and pupae/100 ml of soil. Baiting for slugs on one plot indicated that a large population of these animals was present. Pesticides were not used by 22 of the 140 growers in the survey. The most widely favoured chemicals with at least 20 users each were a disinfectant, slug pellets, organophosphates and calomel.

Reviewing chemical and biological risks in urban agriculture: A comprehensive framework for a food safety assessment of city region food systems

“…Hence, the presence of pesticide residues in food would most commonly be caused by a) disregard for precautionary limitations, b) misuse of authorized active substances, and c) use of unauthorized substances. Unfortunately, detailed assessments on the use of pesticides in allotment gardens were missing, yet it can be assumed that risk is present ( Atkinson et al, 1979 ; Voigt et al, 2015 ).…”