Guidelines for integrated pest management in sugar beet cultivation: aspects of weed control.

Summary The EU-Directive for the sustainable use of pesticides encourages member states to develop crop- or sectorspecific guidelines for integrated pest management. The implementation of such guidelines helps reducing the risks and impacts of pesticide use on human health and the environment. A guideline for integrated pest management in sugar beet cultivation has been jointly developed in a funded research project. The professional preparation and discussion of the guideline was accompanied by a project-linked working group which represented scientists, sugar beet advisory experts and interest groups of the entire value chain of sugar beets. Weed control in sugar beet cultivation is essential and of high economical importance as sugar beets are weak competitors. The presented weed specific extract from the guideline focuses on the use of herbicides which is to date the most efficient measure for weed control in sugar beets.