Development of comparable agro‐climatic zones for the international exchange of data on the efficacy and crop safety of plant protection products¹

Abstract

Data on the efficacy and crop safety of plant protection products can be used for registration purposes in other countries, provided crop growth conditions are comparable. This article identifies the main conditions which are relevant in this respect, with particular emphasis on climatic conditions. Comparison of several systems of agro‐climatic classification developed for the EPPO region, particularly the climate diagrams of Walter & Lieth, the climate classification system of Köppen & Geiger, the agro‐climatic areas of Thran & Broekhuizen and natural vegetation maps, has led to a division of the EPPO region (Europe, Mediterranean area, Middle East) into four agro‐climatic zones (Mediterranean, Maritime, North‐east, Central) within which conditions can be considered comparable.

Continental-scale assessment of provisioning soil functions in Europe

“…Rainfall characteristics and temperature regime seem to provide sufficient information for continental-scale agrometeorological zonalization (Bouma 2005). The limiting effect of solar radiation is less articulated in most of Europe than that of rainfall or temperature.…”

Impacts of European drought events: insights from an international database of text-based reports

“…1d). Impacts in specific geographical regions, which we grouped based on simplified agroclimatic zones proposed by Bouma (2005), reflect the occurrence of regional drought events: for instance, reports in 2001 are mostly from southeastern European countries, in 2005 mostly from Spain and Portugal, and in 1976 mostly from maritime/western European countries (Fig. 1d).…”

Pine Pitch Canker and Insects: Regional Risks, Environmental Regulation, and Practical Management Options

“…The Mediterranean zone comprises the countries (or parts of countries) around the Mediterranean Sea, together with The Republic of North Macedonia and Portugal. This region is characterized by its mild and relatively wet winters, and warm and dry summers [10]. This is one of the world's recognized "hotspots" of biodiversity and a major center of plant diversity, as approximately 10% of the world's higher plants can be found in this area, representing only 1.6% of the Earth's surface [11].…”

“…Specifically, we compiled information about the predominant forest insect pests (including those typical for plantations and nurseries), gathering information also from "grey literature" (e.g., publications in native languages, academic thesis, reports, working papers, and government documents). Data collection was made separately for European biogeographic regions, using the agro-climatic classification suggested by Bouma [10], which divides the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) region into four prevailing agro-climatic zones (Mediterranean, Maritime, North-East, and Central), while comparing the dominant climate conditions which affect pest/host interrelationships. We then summarize the regulative effects of abiotic environment on the three partners of the interaction (insects, pathogen, and host trees), and discuss the practical possibilities for sustainable management of vector insects across different forest management regimes, using a classification of forest management approaches by Duncker et al [8] and Hengeveld et al [9] as a guideline.…”