title: Enhance knowledge on sustainable use of plant protection products within the framework of the sustainable use directive.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2008-2009, a survey in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy collected information on the farm use of plant protection products (PPPs) and evaluated whether the provisions of the Directive for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides are applicable. It was concluded that the provisions can be implemented, even if some gaps need to be filled and also the behaviour of farmers needs to be improved. Moreover, it was observed that all stages in the use of PPPs on farms could generate risks for the operator and/or the environment. One of the recommendations is to promote training for operators and to adopt good agronomic practices in order to improve sustainable use of PPPs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings were used, in the following years, to develop a Guideline for Sustainable Use of PPPs to help the user in identifying the flaws in current practices at farm level as well as their corresponding corrective actions. The Guidelines are accompanied by free online software to be used as a diagnostic tool as well as to provide recommendations for improvements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The approach adopted, taking into account the variability in farm structure, cropping pattern, risk attitude and economic availability, is not an instrument to identify the most suitable protection strategy for a given crop in a given period, but to help professional users to improve their practices in managing PPPs on farms and to make the most appropriate choices leading to reduced environmental and human risk, without compromising the profitability of agricultural production and food standards. This work has, as an underlying principle, a holistic approach to link the different elements of the three pillars of sustainability (environment, economy and society) and to enhance knowledge, which represents one of the main aspects of the Directive.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Chimica Agraria ed Ambientale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 84 29100 Piacenza, Italy. maura.calliera@unicatt.it
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calliera
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Berta
authors.forename: Tiziano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Galassi
authors.forename: Floriano
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mazzini
authors.forename: Rossana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bassi
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Meriggi
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marchis
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Guardo
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Capri
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D019359:Knowledge; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards; D012984:Software
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides
keywords: Directive 2009/128/EC; farmer's behaviour; guidelines; plant protection products; sustainable use of pesticide; training; ‘on farm life cycle’