An Economic Comparison of Pesticide Application Regimes for Processing Tomatoes

Abstract

In a field experiment aimed at the management of pests, diseases and weeds in tomato agroecosystems using a recommended range of pesticide applications compared with lower chemical input systems, the economics of pesticide use on processing tomatoes in Ohio, USA, was evaluated in 1994 and 1995. The pesticide regimes used included: (i) full-spectrum recommended pesticide use, based on a comprehensive pesticide application schedule including insecticides (carbaryl, endosulfan and esfenvalerate), a fungicide (chlorothalonil) and herbicides (trifluralin and paraquat); (ii) insecticides only, based on applications of the same insecticides and doses used in (i); (iii) fungicides and herbicides only, based on applications of the same fungicides and herbicides used in (i); and (iv) control plots, which received no pesticide applications. All of the costs involved in applying pesticides (chemicals, machinery, labor) were recorded for all treatments for the economic analysis. Overall, the fungicide treatments resulted in higher yields than either the control or the insecticides-only regime, and the profits from the full-spectrum pesticide and fungicide & herbicide regimes were greater than those from the insecticide-only regime and controls in 1994. The yields and profits from all pesticide regimes were substantially less in 1095 than in 1994.