Description of the measure

A reduction of spray drift onto an vulnerable off-field area – containing non-target organisms such as pollinators, birds, aquatic organisms, or others – can be obtained by keeping a minimum distance between the sprayed area and the off-field area.

This buffer zone can be a non-cropped and therefore non-sprayed area, or it can be a vegetated but unsprayed strip.

A vegetated buffer strip is often not cropped but contains natural or specifically sown vegetation. Vegetated unsprayed buffer strips may have the additional advantage of providing refuge to beneficial arthropods such as natural enemies of pests or pollinators that positively contribute to crop yields. Furthermore, vegetated buffer zones may reduce pesticide runoff from the field to nearby surface water.

Conditions for effective implementation

Non-target organisms should be active off-field but not active in the crop to be treated with the pesticide.

Crop fields should be large enough so that applying a no-spray buffer strip does not have an unacceptable effect on yield.

Estimated risk reduction potential

The risk reduction can be estimated through the reduction of spray drift. Drift reduction will generally be between 50% and 95%, depending on the width of the buffer strip, the type of vegetation grown on the buffer strip, the pesticide application equipment used, and the weather conditions during application.

Potential constraints

Leaving part of a crop field uncropped may reduce yields and thus revenues for the farmer, especially if farmer fields are small. However, vegetated buffer strips may positively contribute to pest management and pollination, thus reducing the need for pesticides and maintaining/increasing yields or crop quality.

Non-cropped (bare) buffer strips are clearly visible and therefore relatively easy to verify by enforcement services. Vegetated unsprayed buffer zones, on the other hand, are more difficult to verify.

Further information

Further information on buffer strips/zones for pesticide risk reduction, and practical guidance for their implementation, can be found in the MAgPIE workshop report – Mitigating the risks of plant protection products in the environment. Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)) {INSERTLINK as soon as we have one}