Objectives and competences
Students explore, analyse and understand:
• pesticide ecological fate (mobility, degradation, etc.),
• the basics of pesticide toxicology and eco-toxicology,
• the basics of prevention of pesticide pollution,
• the standards and legislative rules for pesticide use,
• and the research methods commonly used in the studies of pesticide environmental effects and fate.
Content (Syllabus outline)
impact of crop protection technologies on the environment
factors influencing mobility, accumulation and degradation of pesticides in the environment (influence of pesticide chemical structure, soil biotical activity, soil pedological properties, climate factors, etc.)
problems with pesticide residues in soils and ground water
methods for evaluation of pesticide toxicity and eco-toxicity
relationship between pesticides, protection of the environment, agricultural production technologies and EU environmental legislation
basic research methods used in the field of pesticide ecology and pesticide eco-toxicology science
Learning and teaching methods
classroom lectures, tutorials
Intended learning outcomes - knowledge and understanding
Knowledge and Understanding:
Students have knowledge and are able to critically evaluate:
• different impacts of pesticides on humans and the environment,
• different ways and possibilities of pesticide introduction to the environment, different ways of dissemination and degradation,
• structure and information presented in records and research reports on eco-toxicological studies,
Intended learning outcomes - transferable/key skills and other attributes
Students are able to:
participate in research into eco-toxicology and pesticide environmental fate,
perform administrative and legislative work of national bureaus and agencies for pesticide registration and evaluation of pesticide environmental impact and fate (e.g. water protection bureau, national pesticide commission, etc.).
Readings
Posamezna poglavja iz naslednjih knjig:
• EPPO standards, 2003. Environmental Risk Assesment of Plant protection products – (več biltenov)
• Honeycutt, R.C. in Day, E.W. 2002. Worker Exposure to Agrochemicals – Methods for Monitoring and assessment. Lewis Publishers – Boca Roton, London.
• Forbes, V. E. in Forbes, T. L. 1994. Ecotoxicology in theory and practice, Chapman and Hall Press, London.
• Hayes, W. J. et al. 1991. Handbook of Pesticide Toxicology (Volume 1 – 3), Academic Press, London.
• Khan, S.U. 1980. Pesticides in the soil environment, Elsevier, Oxford.
PRIPOROČENA LITERATURA:
• Rombke, J. 2003. Effects of Plant Protection Products on Functional Endpoints in Soil, »SET a C« (SETAC) Fundation.
• Walker, C. H. 2001. Principles of ecotoxicology, Second edition, Taylor and Francis, London.
• Kryštufek, B. 1999. Osnove varstvene biologije, Tehniška založba Slovenije, Ljubljana.
• Roberts, T. et al. 1998. Metabolic Pathways of Agrochemicals (Part I - III), Royal Society of Chemisty.
• SETAC – Guidance documents on regulatory testing and risk assessment procedures for plant protection products (večje število navodil).
• Strokovno področna znanstvena periodika in zakonodaja povezana z varstvom rastlin.
Additional information on implementation and assessment • oral exam 50%
• coursework (ppt presentation 50%
