Recently, the Efficacy Evaluation Office of the Institute for the Control of Agrochemicals, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (ICAMA) issued the "Letter on Soliciting Opinions on 7 Agricultural Industry Standards including Classification and Coding of Pesticide Modes of Action", seeking public opinions from the society. These 7 standards cover the classification of pesticide modes of action and efficacy test guidelines for the control of diseases and pests in various crops. They aim to further improve China's pesticide registration and evaluation technical system, enhance the scientificity and standardization of pesticide use, and provide solid technical support for agricultural production safety and agricultural product quality safety.

Multi-Dimensional Coverage: 7 Standards Accurately Address Industry Pain Points

The 7 standards under public consultation feature a distinct "basic guidance + scenario-specific breakdown" characteristic. They not only establish a basic technical framework for pesticide use but also formulate precise test specifications for different crops, diseases, pests, and application scenarios, achieving comprehensive coverage of key links in pesticide registration and evaluation.

Basic Guarantee: Establishing a Technical System for Resistance Management

As the core basic standard released this time, Classification and Coding of Pesticide Modes of Action systematically sorts out and standardizes the grouping principles and coding methods for the modes of action of insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides. This standard fully draws on the mature classification systems of the international resistance action committees (IRAC, FRAC, HRAC) and closely aligns with China's actual pesticide registration situation, clearly defining the action targets and physiological and biochemical reaction mechanisms of different types of pesticides. The introduction of this standard provides clear technical guidance for the rational rotational use and scientific mixing of pesticides in agricultural production, offers a scientific basis for delaying the development of pest and disease resistance from the source, and fills the technical gap in the systematic classification of pesticide modes of action in China.

Major Pest and Disease Control: Focusing on Key Scenarios with Precision

Targeting major diseases and pests that cause severe harm to agricultural production, 3 standards respectively establish exclusive technical specifications for efficacy tests. Among them, Pesticide Field Efficacy Test Guidelines - Part 101: Nematicides for Controlling Pine Wilt Disease by Trunk Injection directly addresses pine wilt disease, known as the "forestry cancer". It clarifies the technical requirements for field efficacy tests of nematicides applied via trunk injection, including the timing of application, the core dosage expression method of "grams per centimeter of breast height", and a scientific control effect evaluation system, providing a unified test standard for the precise control of pine wilt disease.

In response to the fall armyworm, a major migratory pest in corn production, Pesticide Field Efficacy Test Guidelines - Part 102: Insecticides for Controlling Fall Armyworm on Corn refines the field test design plan for chemical control. It specifies the critical application period of "from the peak egg hatching stage to the 3rd instar larval stage" and standardizes the investigation methods and efficacy calculation formulas, providing a standardized technical basis for the registration and evaluation of relevant insecticides and helping to improve the emergency control capacity against fall armyworm.

For anthracnose, a major disease in soybean production, Pesticide Field Efficacy Test Guidelines - Part 105: Fungicides for Controlling Soybean Anthracnose innovatively proposes graded investigation methods for the seedling stage and pod stage, systematically standardizes the disease index calculation and control effect evaluation process, and lays a technical foundation for the scientific screening and evaluation of fungicides for soybean anthracnose control.

Improving Production and Storage Quality: Covering the Needs of the Entire Industry Chain

Beyond the control of major diseases and pests, the standard system also extends to the fields of crop growth regulation and agricultural product storage and preservation. Pesticide Field Efficacy Test Guidelines - Part 103: Plant Growth Regulators for Promoting Germination of Cherry Trees focuses on the common problem of irregular germination in cherry production. It clarifies the field test methods for plant growth regulators to promote cherry tree germination, including the application time requirement of "more than 20 days before germination" and core investigation indicators such as germination rate, fruit set rate, and fruit quality, providing technical support for high-quality cherry production.

Addressing the issue of gray mold that easily occurs during the storage period of garlic scapes, Pesticide Field Efficacy Test Guidelines - Part 104: Fungicides for Controlling Gray Mold on Garlic Scapes During Storage focuses on standardizing the operating procedures for different application methods such as fumigation, dipping, and spraying, and clarifies the requirements for controlling storage environment conditions. It fills the gap in China's efficacy test standards for the control of diseases during the storage period of garlic scapes and helps reduce post-harvest losses of agricultural products.

In the field of grape production, Pesticide Field Efficacy Test Guidelines - Part 106: Fungicides for Controlling Grape Spike Stalk Browning targets grape spike stalk browning caused by fungi of the genus Alternaria. It specifies the critical application period of "from the young spike emergence stage to before flowering" and formulates the ear grading standard and control effect calculation method, providing technical support for the green prevention and control of grape diseases and quality improvement.

Triple Value: Reshaping the New Pattern of Pesticide Registration and Evaluation

The public consultation on these 7 standards not only improves the technical system for pesticide registration and evaluation but also demonstrates significant value in terms of technological innovation, risk prevention and control, and industry standardization, which will drive the development of China's pesticide sector towards a higher quality stage.

In terms of technological innovation, many standards are the first of their kind in China, achieving breakthroughs in filling technical gaps in key areas. The test guidelines for scenarios such as trunk injection control of pine wilt disease and gray mold control during garlic scape storage are all innovative technical specifications targeting practical problems in China's agricultural production. They break the dependence on international experience in some fields and establish a pesticide efficacy test technical system with Chinese characteristics.

In terms of risk prevention and control, the standard system strengthens the technical support for the management of pest and disease resistance. The introduction of Classification and Coding of Pesticide Modes of Action shifts the rotation and mixing of pesticides from "experience-based judgment" to "scientific guidance", effectively reducing the resistance risk caused by irrational pesticide use, extending the service life of pesticides, and providing long-term protection for the safety of the agricultural ecological environment.

In terms of industry standardization, each standard defines key links in field tests, such as plot design, application methods, investigation time, and efficacy calculation, in a standardized manner. This effectively improves the reliability and comparability of pesticide registration efficacy data, provides a solid foundation for the standardization and scientificization of pesticide registration and evaluation, and helps enhance the quality of China's pesticide products and their international competitiveness.

Currently, the 7 standards are in the stage of public consultation. This process is not only an important way to pool industry wisdom but also a key foundation for the implementation of the standards. Relevant production enterprises, scientific research institutions, industry associations, and grassroots agricultural technical personnel can actively participate in feedback to jointly promote the improvement and optimization of the standards. It is believed that with the official release and implementation of these 7 standards, China's pesticide registration and evaluation technical system will be further improved, the scientificity and standardization of pesticide use will be significantly enhanced, injecting strong impetus into safeguarding national food security, improving agricultural product quality, and promoting green agricultural development.