A case study on the occurrence of pyrimethanil, cyprodinil and cyflufenamid residues in soil and on apple leaves, blossoms and pollen, and their transfer by worker bees to the hive

Abstract

A field trial on the transfer of pyrimethanil, cyprodinil and cyflufenamid residues from apple trees of Idared cultivar to hives by honeybees Apis mellifera was carried out. Two days after spraying (Faban 500 SC and Kendo 50 EW), and on the day of spraying (Chorus 50 WG), the quantities of residues on leaves and flowers of apple trees and pollen were as follows: pyrimethanil: 1.45 μg per cm2 of leaves, 11.51 μg per single flower and 7.18 μg · g−1 of pollen, cyprodinil:1.35, 8.64 and 7.94 μg, and cyflufenamid: 0.064, 0.266 and 0.11 μg, respectively. All of them subsequently disappeared exponentially. Two days after, and on the day of spraying, pyrimethanil (1.81 μg · g−1), cyprodinil (up to 0.55 μg · g−1) and cyflufenamid (0.04 μg · g−1) were found in worker bees. Residues of all used chemicals were found in the brood, honey and wax samples. The residues of pyrimethanil, cyprodinil and cyflufenamid in worker bees exceeded the level of 0.2% of the LD50, which indicates that their application rates (doses) are safe for the honey bee.

Keywords

• consumer and bee safety
• cyprodinil and cyflufenamid residues
• pyrimethanil
• transfer to hive
• worker bee