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Re: suphur - was PANUPS: U.S. Pesticide Use Soars
Frits v/d Laan wrote:
>
> In article <4pfojf$1k6@dfw-ixnews7.ix.netcom.com>, j_bishop@ix.netcom.com (Jonathan Bishop) says:
> >
> >paninfopubs@igc.apc.org (PANNA InfoPubs) wrote:
> >
> >
> >Sulfur and, I believe, Petroleum oils are both allowed under Organic
> >growing methods.
> >Quite frankly, I believe that Sulfur has a great impact on the
> >environment despite the fact that its use is permissible under organic
> >growing methods. I would suspect that small amounts of effective
> >fungicides would have much less effect on the environment than the
> >huge quantities of sulfur necessary to prevent fungal infections.
> >Jonathan Bishop Bishop's Orchards
>
> Yes sulpher is allowed in organic growing methods but it is not the first
> method a grower will use there are a lot of methods to avoid using this.
> Prevention is always first in organic farming.
>
> Frits v/d Laan
> Biologische boomkwekerij
> (organic horticulture)
> Gouda
> http://web.inter.nl.net/users/F.vd.Laan/Prevention can mean many types of cultural practices, such as variety selection,
nutrition, pruning, rotation and maintaining a habitat for beneficials. Still,
even organic farmers need to use something to deal with existing infections. Sulfur has
many uses, not just as a fungicide, but also as an acaricide. It is not ideal, but
it is effective and, pound for pound, relatively non-toxic. Some of the most promising
breakthroughs to substitute for sulfur are antagonists and hyperparasites to
opportunistic fungal infections. IMHO, biological control would be preferable to both
elemental sulfur and synthetic fungicides. The farmers I work with hope these will be
formulated in ways that are acceptable for organic production.
References: