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Publication #HS-1124

2010 Florida Citrus Pest Management Guide: Fresh Fruit Pesticide Residue Limits1

M.A. Ritenour2

Current 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, individual 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 use on fresh Florida citrus for the U.S., CODEX, and some important export countries. 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 tolerance is stated, any detectable residue will violate tolerances. Violations may lead to rejected loads of product, restrictions on future shipments, and even increased requirements for the entire industry to a given market. Because MRLs change frequently, see the University of Florida's Postharvest Resources Web site (http://postharvest.ifas.ufl.edu) or the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) International Maximum Residue Limits Database (http://mrldatabase.com/) for the most recent information. A database of pesticide MRLs for the European Union is also now available at http://ec.europa.eu/sanco_pesticides/public/index.cfm. Table 1 and the Web sites are intended as an initial reference source and no guarantee is made for 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 only, not inclusive)

U.S.

Canada

CODEX

EU

Japan

(Grapefruit)

Taiwan

(Grapefruit)

Korea

(Grapefruit)

2,4-D (2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid)

Citrus Fix, Hivol

3

2

1

1

2

2

1

Abamectin

Agri-Mek, Clinch, Zephyr, ABBA, Epi-mek, Reaper

0.02

0.02

0.01

0.01

0.01

0.01

0.01

Acephate

Acephate, Orthene

nonbearing

Acequinocyl

Kanemite

0.2

0.35

0.2

2

Acetamiprid

Assail

0.5

0.5*

1

5

Aldicarb

Temik

0.3

0.2

0.02

0.3

0.2

Azadirachtin

Aza-Direct, Azatin, Ecozin, Neemix

exempt

Azinphos-methyl salts

Asinphosmethyl, Guthion

2

2

1

0.05

1

2

1

Azoxystrobin

Abound

10

0.8*

15

1

1

1

15

Bifenazate

Acramite

nonbearing

Bifenthrin

Brigade, Capture, Telstar, Fanfare

0.05

0.05

0.1

2

1

0.05

Bromacil

Bromo, Hyvar

0.1

0.07

0.5

0.1

Buprofezin

Applaud

2.5

1

1

2

0.5

1

Carbaryl

Sevin

10

10

15

0.05

7

2

15

Carfentrazone-ethyl

Aim

0.1

0.01

0.1

Chlorpyrifos

Lorsban, Nufos

1

1

1

0.3; 0.2 lemon; 2.0 mandarins

1

1

0.3

Clethodim

Prism

nonbearing

Cryolite

Kryocide

7

Cyfluthrin

0.2

0.3

0.02

2

2

Dicofol

Dicofol, Kelthane

6

5

5

2

5

3

1

Diflubenzuron

Micromite

0.5

0.5

1

3

1

1

Dimethoate

Dimethoate, Cygon

2

1.5

5

0.02

2

2

2

Diuron

Diuron, Direx, Karmex

0.05 (except lemon)

1

0.1

0.8

0.2

1

Endosulfan

Endosulfan, Phaser, Thionex

nonbearing

EPTC

Eptam

0.1

0.05

0.1

Ethoprop[hos]

Mocap

nonbearing

Fenbuconazole

Enable

1

1; 0.05 lemon, mandarin, lime

1

Fenbutatin Oxide

Vendex

20

2

5

5

5

2

5

Fenoxycarb

Fenoxycarb, Award, Precision

nonbearing

Fenpropathrin

Danitol

2

2

5

0.5

Fenpyroximate

Portal

0.6

0.2 orange

0.5; 0.3 lemon, lime, mandarin

1

0.5

Ferbam

Ferbam

4

10 mandarin; 2 orange

2

2

Fluazifop-P-butly

Fusilade

nonbearing

Fludioxonil

Graduate

10

10

7

7; 10 grapefruit

10

7

Formetanate Hydrochloride

1.5 (G, O); 0.03 (T), 0.6 (L)

4

0.05

4

Fosetyl-aluminum

Aliette

5

9

75

150

10

Glyphosate

Roundup, Durango, Touchdown, & others

0.5

0.1; 0.5 orange & mandarin

0.5

0.1

0.5

Harpin Protein

Messenger

exempt

Hexythiazox

Savey

nonbearing

Hydrogen cyanide

50

50

Imazalil

Various

10

5

5

5

5

2

5

Imidacloprid

Admire, Alias, Provado, Couraze, Nuprid, Pasada, Widow

0.7

1

1

1

1

1

Malathion

Malathion, Atrapa, Fyfanon

8

7

0.02

4

2

7

Metalaxyl, Mefenoxam

Ridomil Gold, Subdue, UltraFlourish

1

5

5

0.5

2

0.5

5

Metaldehyde

OR-Cal Slug & Snail Bait

0.26

0.05

Methanearsonic acid (MSMA)

0.35

0.5

Methidathion

Supracide

4; 6 mandarin

2

2; 5 mandarin

5

5

1

2

Methoprene

Extinguish Ant Bait

exempt

0.05

Naled

Dibrom

3

3

0.2

Neem oil extract

Trilogy

exempt

exempt

Norflurazon

Solicam

0.2

0.2

0.2

Oryzalin

Oryzalin, Surflan

0.05

0.01

0.08

Oxamyl

Vydate

3

5

0.01; 0.02 mandarin

5

0.5

5

Oxyfluorfen

Goal

nonbearing

Paraquat Dichloride

Paraquat, Gramoxone, Boa

0.05

0.02

0.02

0.05

0.2

0.02

Pendimethalin

Prowl, Pendimax

0.1

0.05

0.05

Phosmet

Imidan

5

3

0.2

5

1

5

Phosphites

Fosphite, Phostrol, ProPhyt

exempt

Piperonyl Butoxide

Evergreen EC

8 orange

8 orange

5

5

5

Propargite

Comite, Omite

5 grapefruit & lemon; 10 orange

5

3

3

3

5

5

Propiconazole

Banner, Bumper, Tilt, Orbit, PropiMax

nonbearing

Pyraclostrobin

Headline

2

2*

1

1

2

1

Pyrethrins

Pyrellin (+ Rotenone), Evergreen (+ Piperonyl Butoxide)

1 orange

1 orange

0.05

1

1

Pyridaben

Nexter

0.5

0.5

2

2

Pyrimethanil

Penbotec

10

10*

7

10

15

7

Pyriproxyfen

Distance, Esteem, Knack

0.3

0.5

0.6

0.5

0.3

0.5

Rimsulfuron

0.01

0.05

Rotenone

Pyrellin (Pyrethrins + Rotenone)

exempt

0.01

Sethoxydim

Poast Plus

0.5

0.1

1

1

Simazine

Simazine, Princep, Sim-Trol

0.25 grapefruit, orange, lemon

0.1

0.2

0.25

Sodium aluminoflouride

Prokil Cryolite

7

SOPP (2 Phenylphenol, O-phenylphenol )

Various

10

10

10

12 (listed as food additive)

10

10

Spinetoram

Delegate

0.3

0.3*

0.2

Spinosad

Entrust, Naturalyte, Justice, Spintor

0.3

0.3*

0.3

0.3

0.3

0.3

0.3

Spirodiclofen

Envidor

0.5

0.5*

0.5; 0.1 Lime, tangerine

2

Spirotetramat

Movento

0.6

0.6

0.5

1

0.5

Sulfur

exempt

Tebufenozide

0.8

2

2

2

2

Thiabendazole (TBZ)

Various

10

10

7

5

10

10

10

Thiamethoxam

Actara, Plantinum

0.4

0.02

0.2

1

1 tangerine

Thiazopyr

Mandate

0.05 grapefruit & orange

0.05

Trifloxystrobin

Gem

0.6

0.5

0.3

0.3

0.5

Trifloxysulfuron

0.03

0.03

Trifluralin

Trifluralin, Treflan, Trilin

0.05

0.1

0.05

0.05

0.05

zeta-cypermethrin

Mustang

0.35

2

2

2

2

*grapefruit, lemon, lime, tangerine & citrus hybrid

Coupounds with no MRL listed default to a 0.01 ppm limit.

Coupounds with no MRL listed default to a 0.01 ppm limit.

Footnotes

1.

This document is HS-1124, 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. Date revised: October 2009. This publication is included in SP-43, 2010 Florida Citrus Pest Management Guide. For a copy of this guide, request information on its purchase at your county extension office. Please visit the EDIS Web site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

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.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

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. Millie Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean.