Evaluating a filtering and recirculating system to reduce dust drift in simulated sowing of dressed seed and abraded dust particle characteristics.

Background: The pneumatic precision drills used in maize sowing can release dust owing to abrasion of dressed seed; the drift of dust containing insecticide active ingredients is harmful to honey bees. Therefore, we developed a device for drills that uses partial recirculation and filtration of the air by means of an antipollen and an electrostatic filter.

Results: Tests were carried out by simulating the sowing of seed treated with imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin and fipronil.

Potential exposure of bees, Apis mellifera L., to particulate matter and pesticides derived from seed dressing during maize sowing.

This paper assessed the potential exposure of bees (Apis mellifera L.) to pesticides during maize (Zea mays L.) sowing with pneumatic drills.

Preliminary study on persistence in soil and residues in maize of imidacloprid.

The aim of this work was to study the distribution of imidacloprid in soil and its translocation to roots and aerial parts of maize plant. The main objective was to assess imidacloprid residues in field environment, in order to provide data on honeybees exposure level to such an active substance. Imidacloprid has been detected and quantified by Triple Quadrupole HPLC-MS-MS.

Sowing simulation tests of a pneumatic drill equipped with systems aimed at reducing the emission of abrasion dust from maize dressed seed.

The utilization of dressed seed for spring sowing is a widespread practice to control some pests with reduced doses of chemical products. However some insecticides employed in maize seed dressing, namely belonging to the neonicotinoid family and fipronil, have been claimed to play a role in the decline of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.).