BCPC PREvIEW 2007
Session 3A
Sociological and ethical issues associated with crop protection – An international perspective
The most appropriate means of crop protection are factors. The importance given to particular ethical issues be amplified by assessments of the same factors by
now a matter for wide public debate over much of varies across the world and this has led to variations Dr Vera Alexieva (Institute of Plant Physiology, Sofia,
the world. While technical discussions focus on the in the acceptability of technologies such as GM and Bulgaria) and by Professor Esteban Hopp from (INTA,
efficacy of particular chemicals or other technologies; pesticides. Castelar, Argentina) who will focus on decision making
and increasingly on their environmental impact, public in countries where the history of decision making has
debate centres on very different issues. Ethical issues Professor Ken Korth (University of Arkansas, been different. Dr Sylvie Bonny (INRA, Grignon, France)
and concerns rooted in sociology now dominate these Fayetteville, USA) will provide an overview of will assess how attitudes have changed with time.
discussions to an extent that public acceptance is now a the current status of views on particular types of
major factor in the forward direction of crop protection. crop protection in the USA. Dr Bernhard Kromp Chairman & Session Organiser
The future of GM technology, chemical crop protection (Bioforschung, Vienna, Austria) will provide a similar Reverend Professor David Atkinson
and organic agriculture are all influenced by such analysis of views in Austria. These perspectives will (St Andrews Cathedral, Aberdeen, Scotland)
Session 3B
Crops for biofuel and bioenergy
An ever increasing area of crops for non-food markets David Turley (Central Science Laboratory, York, UK) will Other presentations will address clubroot and sclerotinia
is being produced, which is very much capturing provide an overview of the market drivers for crops in oilseed rape, plus the agronomic requirements for
the public’s interest. Key markets are liquid fuels for for biofuel and bioenergy, the areas grown, and will grass and woody biomass crops.
transport (e.g. oilseed rape and wheat feedstock) and introduce key challenges for pest, disease and weed
biomass energy utilising crops such as miscanthus and control in these crops. Dr Katja gödeke (Thüringer Chairman
short rotation coppice. National Institute for Agriculture (TLL), Dornburg, Dr Lewis Smith
Germany) will review a comprehensive German (Syngenta Crop Protection, Basel, Switzerland)
This session will consider the challenges for pest, project to develop and compare site-specific cropping
disease and weed management in fuel and energy systems for energy crops. Options for economic and Session Organiser
crops, and looks at the future for crops which may sustainable production of energy and biogas crops will Dr Alison Hamer
supply future generations of the burgeoning biofuel be presented, with situations where crop mixtures may (National Non-Food Crops Centre, York, UK)
industry. be advantageous.
Session 3C
Advances in the diagnosis and forecasting of plant diseases
This session will focus on state-of-the-art diagnostic and improved forecasting schemes for use in disease will provide an overview on the development and
forecasting tools with special emphasis on their role in management systems will be presented. utilization of forecasting systems in the integrated
integrated disease management schemes. Topics to be control of diseases in cereal and fruit crops.
covered include the development of detection methods Professor Petr Karlovsky (University of Göttingen,
and analytical tools for the improved diagnosis of plant Germany) will review the development and role of Chairman & Session Organiser
pathogens, and their potential application in decision state-of-the-art analytical tools for the detection, Professor Andreas von Tiedemann
support systems for disease management. Recent diagnosis and quantification of pathogens in plants. (University of Göttingen, Germany)
advances in the modelling of plant diseases to develop Professor Vittorio Rossi (University of Piacenza, Italy)
Session 4A
The debate – This house believes that Rachel Carson would not today have written Silent Spring
2007 is the centenary of the birth of Rachel Carson these issues, now commonly within the context of publication. Lord Peter Melchett (Soil Association,
who is remembered as the author of the classic book climate change and genetic modification of crops. We Bristol, UK) seconded by Dr Peter Kenmore (FAO,
Silent Spring which was published in 1962. Here can therefore ask whether the advances of the past four Rome, Italy) will argue that the basic issues raised by
she advanced the hypothesis that the wide spread decades would mean that she would no longer see the Silent Spring are as relevant today as they have ever
adoption of chemical crop protection was likely to end need for the book or whether the basic issues which been and that it would still have been written.
in a series of ecological disasters. She argued that this concerned her still remain.
approach would be ultimately unsustainable because Arguments by the listed speakers will be followed by
the concept of removing a particular pest or weed Dr Lewis Smith (Syngenta Crop Protection, Basel, the opportunity for the audience to join in the debate.
was fundamentally unecological. She argued that Switzerland) seconded by Professor Peter gregory
crop protection with chemicals would be bad for soil, (CRI, Dundee, UK) will argue that recent developments
Chairman & Session Organiser
agriculture, food, people, wildlife and the environment. have proved the concerns of the 1960s unwarranted
Reverend Professor David Atkinson
Forty-five years on there is continuing debate over and that there would no longer be need for such a
(St Andrews Cathedral, Aberdeen, UK)
22 September 2007 • www.agrow.com
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