2008 Florida Citrus Pest Management Guide: Fresh Fruit Pesticide Residue Limits 2008 Florida Citrus Pest Management Guide: Fresh Fruit Pesticide Residue Limits
2008 Florida Citrus Pest Management Guide: Fresh Fruit Pesticide Residue Limits1
M.A. Ritenour2Current production practices often include the use of various pre- and postharvest chemicals, many of which are pesticides. To be used, these materials must be labeled for use on citrus and used only according to label instructions. Chemical residues on the fruit after harvest continue to be a concern to regulators and the public alike because of their potential negative health effects. Therefore, the U.S. and other countries set maximum residue limits (MRLs) on fresh produce for various chemicals. United States MRLs are rarely exceeded when the label instructions are followed. However, when MRLs set by importing countries are lower than U.S. MRLs, then use of these pesticides usually must be discontinued or modified to keep from exceeding the country's tolerances. In addition, corporate buyers may set their own, more restrictive standards. Similar to buyer-imposed food safety standards, buyer-imposed MRL standards, especially from large buyers, can significantly impact how pesticides are used in the field and packing facility.
Table 1 list the MRLs (in parts-per-million) for various chemicals used on fresh Florida citrus by country. The limit of detection for chemical residues on citrus fruit is often around 0.01 ppm, depending on the testing laboratory and chemical of interest. Most often, when no MRL is stated, any detectable residue will violate tolerances. Violations may lead to rejected loads of product and restrictions on future shipments for the entire industry to a given market. Because MRLs change frequently, see the University of Florida's Postharvest Resources Website http://postharvest.ifas.ufl.edu or the Foreign Agricultural Service International Maximum Residue Limits Database http://mrldatabase.com/ for the most recent information. Table 1 and the websites are intended as an initial reference source and no guarantee is made to their accuracy. Always verify these values with other knowledgeable sources within specific markets of interest.
Tables
Table 1. Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) in parts-per-million (ppm), by country.
Chemical Name
Trade Names (examples)
U.S.
Canada
CODEX
EU
Japan
Current
Proposed
Grapefruit
Orange
2,4-D (2,4-Dichloro- phenoxyacetic acid)
Citrus Fix, Hivol
3
2
1
1
2
Abamectin
Agri-Mek, Clinch, Zephyr, ABBA, Epi-mek, Reaper
0.02
0.02
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
Acephate
Acephate, Orthene
nonbearing
Acequinocyl
Kanemite
0.2
0.01
2
2
Acetamiprid
Assail
0.5
5
5
Aldicarb
Temik
0.3
0.2
0.02
0.3
0.3
Azadirachtin
Aza-Direct, Azatin, Ecozin, Neemix
exempt
0.5
Azinphos-methyl salts
Asinphosmethyl, Guthion
2
2
1
1
0.05 after 3/19/08
1
1
Azoxystrobin
Abound
10
1
1
1
Bacillus thuringiensis
various
exempt
0.01
Bifenazate
Acramite
nonbearing
Bifenthrin
Brigade, Capture, Telstar, Fanfare
0.3; 0.05 oranges
0.05
0.1
1
1
Bromacil
Bromo, Hyvar
0.1
0.01
0.07
0.05
Buprofezin
Applaud
2.5
0.5 (Oranges)
1
2
2
Carbaryl
Sevin
10
10
7
0.05
7
7
Carbendazim, Benomyl
Benlate
10
10
0.5
7
3
Carfentrazone-ethyl
Aim
0.1
0.01
0.1
0.1
Chlorpyrifos
Lorsban, Nufos
1
1
1
0.3; 0.2 lemon; 2.0 mandarins
1
1
Clethodim
Prism
nonbearing
0.1
Copper
various
exempt
20
exempt
exempt
Cryolite
Kryocide
7
Dicofol
Dicofol, Kelthane
6
5
5
2
5
5
Diflubenzuron
Micromite
0.5
0.5
1
3
3
Dimethoate
Dimethoate, Cygon
2
1.5
5
0.02
0.01
2
2
Diuron
Diuron, Direx, Karmex
1
1
0.1
0.8
0.05
Endosulfan
Endosulfan, Phaser, Thionex
nonbearing
0.05
EPTC
Eptam
0.1
0.05
0.1
0.1
Ethoprop
Mocap
nonbearing
0.02
Ethylene
exempt
0.01
Fenamiphos
Nemacur
0.6
0.02
0.2
0.2
Fenbuconazole
Enable
1
0.05
0.5
Fenbutatin Oxide
Vendex
20
2
5
5
5
5
Fenoxycarb
Fenoxycarb, Award, Precision
nonbearing
2
0.05
0.05
Fenpropathrin
Danitol
2
0.01
5
5
Fenpyroximate
Fujimite
nonbearing
Ferbam
Ferbam
7
2
2
Fluazifop-P-butyl
Fusilade
nonbearing
0.1
0.1
0.1
Fludioxonil
Graduate
10
7
7
10
1
Fosetyl-aluminum
Aliette
5
75
150
150
Gibberellic acid (GA; Gibberellin)
Gib Gro, ProGibb
exempt
6
0.2
0.2
Glyphosate
Roundup, Durango, Touchdown, & others
0.5
0.1; orange & mandarin 0.5
0.5
0.5
Harpin Protein
Messenger
exempt
Hexythiazox
Savey
nonbearing
0.5
1
Imazalil
Freshgard 700
10
5
5
5
5
5
Imidacloprid
Admire, Alias, Provado, Couraze, Nuprid, Pasada, Widow
0.7
1
1
1
1
1
Kaolin
Surround
exempt
Malathion
Malathion, Atrapa, Fyfanon
8
7
2
7
4
4
Metalaxyl, Mefenoxam
Ridomil Gold, Subdue, UltraFlourish
1
5
5
0.5
2
1
Methidathion
Supracide
4 (6 for Mandarins)
2
2 (5 for Mandarins)
2
5
5
Methoprene
Extinguish Ant Bait
exempt
0.05
Myrothecium verrucaria
DiTera
exempt
NAA (1-naphthalene- acetic acid)
Fruit Fix
0.1
0.05
0.1
0.1
Naled
Dibrom
3
3
0.01
0.2
0.2
Napropamide
Devrinol
0.1
0.05
0.1
0.1
Neem oil extract
Trilogy
exempt
exempt
exempt
Norflurazon
Solicam
0.2
0.01
0.2
0.2
Oryzalin
Oryzalin, Surflan
0.05
0.01
0.08
0.08
Oxamyl
Vydate
3
5
0.01; 0.02 mandarin
5
5
Oxyfluorfen
Goal
nonbearing
0.05
Paraquat Dichloride
Paraquat, Gramoxone, Boa
0.05
0.02
0.02
0.05
0.05
Pendimethalin
Prowl, Pendimax
nonbearing
0.05
0.05
0.05
Phosmet
Imidan
5
5
5
5
5
Phosphites
Fosphite, Phostrol, ProPhyt
exempt
Potassium bicarbonate
Armicarb, MilStop
exempt
Propargite
Comite, Omite
5
5
3
3
3
Propiconazole
Banner, Bumper, Tilt, Orbit, PropiMax
nonbearing
0.05
0.05
0.05
Pyraclostrobin
Headline
2
1
1
2
2
Pyridaben
Nexter
0.5
0.5
2
2
Pyrimethanil
Penbotec
10
10
5
15
15
Pyriproxyfen
Distance, Esteem, Knack
0.3
0.5
0.6
0.5
0.5
Sethoxydim
Poast Plus
0.5
0.01
1
1
Simazine
Simazine, Princep, Sim-Trol
0.25 grapefruit, orange, lemon
0.1
0.2
0.2
SOPP (2 Phenylphenol, O-phenylphenol )
FreshGard 5; Fresh Mark, Dowicide A
10
10
10
12 (listed as food additive)
10
10
Spinosad
Entrust, Naturalyte, Justice, Spintor
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
Spirodiclofen
Envidor
0.5
0.1
2
2
Steinernema riobravis
BioVector 355
exempt
Sulfur
exempt
50
exempt
exempt
Thiabendazole (TBZ)
Freshgard 598, Mertect 340-F
10
10
10
5
10
10
Thiazopyr
Mandate
0.05 grapefruit & orange
0.01
0.05
0.05
Thiophanate-methyl (Carbendazim)
Topsin
0.5
10
0.1
7
3
Trifloxystrobin
Gem
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
Trifluralin
Trifluralin, Treflan, Trilin
0.05
0.1
0.05
0.05
Footnotes
1. This document is HS1133, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Date printed: January 2008. This publication is included in SP-43, 2008 Florida Citrus Pest Management Guide. A copy of this publication may be found at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/CG087. Please visit the EDIS Web site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu. For a copy of this handbook, request information on its purchase at your county extension office.2. M.A. Ritenour, associate professor, Horticultural Sciences Department, Indian River REC, Ft. Pierce, Florida; Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611.
The use of trade names in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information. UF/IFAS does not guarantee or warranty the products named, and references to them in this publication does not signify our approval to the exclusion of other products of suitable composition.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.
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