Summary of Discussion Workshop on technical status quo and adjustment procedures of sprayers during implementation of IPM in Poland

Introduction All European Community member states were obliged to implement the 2009/128/EC Directive into national regulations and practice of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The provisions of the Di-rective include, among others, compulsory testing of application equipment, and training and certifica-tion of all professional pesticide users, distributors and advisors. Some member states decided to imp-lement related procedures individually years ago, others left these aspects unregulated. Nevertheless, by December 2016, all 28 EC member states are expected to provide a system of procedures and infra-structure for control of spraying systems in use. With the large variety of crops, local agricultural practices, farming business models, and equipment used in crop protection, constructing efficient procedu-res is not an easy task . European Workshops on Standardised Procedure for the Inspection of Sprayers in Europe (SPISE) support the national efforts by providing a forum for experience exchange. Assuring quality of the spraying equipment in use is only one side of the problem. It is necessary to take care of the training for the operators and advisors in crop protection. The success of IPM de-pends on their ability to plan a proper dosage of a right substance, and to precisely conduct the treat-ment to the maximum benefit of the farmer and the minimum loss to the environment. In this respect, selecting an optimal spraying system and its right settings are of key importance.