Agricultural Chemical Use - Vegetable Crops - 2010

VEGETABLE CROPS 2010
(July 27, 2011)

Overview

In the fall of 2010, NASS collected data about
fertilizer, chemical use and pest management
practices on 29 vegetable crops in 19 states.
These data were collected as part of the biennial
vegetable chemical usage program, and results are
based on 3,272 individual responses.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)
Agricultural Chemical Use Program is the U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s official source of
statistics about on-farm and post-harvest fertilizer
and pesticide use and pest management practices.

Target Crops by State, 2010 Vegetable Chemical Use Survey
(PR) Processing
(FM) Fresh Market

AZ

CA

Asparagus

X

Snap Beans, (FM)

X

CO

FL

GA

X

X

Cabbage (FM)

X
X

MN

NJ

NY

NC

OH

PA

SC

TN

X
X

X

X

Carrots (PR)

X

Cauliflower

X

Celery

X

Sweet Corn, (FM)

X

TX

WA

WI

X

X

6

X

X

6
1

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

7

X

3

X

3

X

X

X

4
1
1

X

X

X

X

X

Sweet Corn, (PR)

X

X

X

X

X
X

X

Cucumbers, (PR)

X

X

X

X

X

X

X
X

X

X

X

X

14

X

4

X
X

Eggplant

7
X

X

X

X

X

Garlic

No. of

States
3

X

X

Carrots (FM)

Cucumbers, (FM)

OR

X

X
X

Broccoli

MI
X

Snap Beans, (PR)

Cantaloupes

IL

7
1

X

1

Honeydews

X

X

2

Lettuce, Head

X

X

2

Lettuce, Other

X

X

Onions

2

X

X

X

Green Peas, (PR)

X

Bell Peppers

X

Pumpkins

X

Spinach (FM)

X

X

Squash

X

X

X
X

X

X

X

Strawberries

X

X

Tomatoes (FM)

X

X

Tomatoes (PR)

X
X

X

6

24

7

X

X

4
5

X

X

5
X

X

No. of Crops

X

X

X

X

Watermelons

X

X

X

X

X

X

7
X

X

X

3

X

X

X

4

X

7
1

1

X

X

10

9

X
3

8

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service

3

6

7

9

X
4

6

3

2

X
2

8

7
6

8

(800) 727-9540
www.nass.usda.gov

Fertilizers

Of the three primary macronutrients, nitrogen
(N) was applied to 98 percent of sweet corn
(FM) acreage at an average rate of 166 pounds
per acre for the 2010 crop year. Macronutrients
phosphate (P) and potash (K) were applied to
93 and 77 percent of the sweet corn acreage at
an average rate of 91 and 116 pounds per acre,
respectively. The secondary macronutrient, sulfur
(S), was applied to 26 percent of acres at a rate of
26 pounds per acre. Fresh market sweet corn was
surveyed in more program states than any other
vegetable commodity.
Nitrogen was applied to 98 percent of the tomato
(FM) acreage at an average rate of 142 pounds
per acre for the crop year. Phosphate and potash
were applied to 89 and 93 percent of the acreage
at an average rate of 111 and 182 pounds per acre,
respectively. Sulfur applications were made on
30 percent of the acreage at an average rate of 47
pounds per acre.

Watermelon growers applied nitrogen to 99
percent of the acreage; phosphate, 91 percent;
potash 88 percent; and sulfur 25 percent.
The average rates per crop year for nitrogen,
phosphate, potash and sulfur were 138, 112, 131
and 18 pounds per acre, respectively.

Pesticides

Onion growers applied insecticides to 75 percent
of the surveyed acreage. The more commonly
used insecticides were Methomyl and Chlorpyrifos
on 37 and 30 percent of the acreage, respectively.
The average rates per application per crop year for
these insecticides were 1.311 and 1.331pounds
per acre, respectively.
Fungicides were applied to 85 percent of the
program states’ cucumber (FM) acreage in 2010.
Chlorothalonil was the most utilized fungicide
with 62 percent of the planted acreage being
treated at an average rate of 5.427 pounds per
acre per crop year. Propamocarb hydrochloride

Fertilizers: Applications to Sweet Corn (FM), Onions, Watermelons, Cucumbers (FM) and Tomatoes
(FM) Planted Acres, 2010 Program States
Fertilizer Nutrient

Sweet Corn
(FM)

Onions

Watermelons

Cucumbers
(FM)

Tomatoes
(FM)

Acres Treated (%)

Rate per Crop Year (Lbs/Acre)

Total Applied (Lbs)

Nitrogen

98

166

35,519,100

Phosphate

93

91

18,391,800

Potash

77

116

19,391,800

Sulfur

26

26

1,504,300

Nitrogen

97

196

23,135,300

Phosphate

71

131

11,267,700

Potash

67

136

11,349,800

Sulfur

28

29

1,038,300

Nitrogen

99

138

15,290,600

Phosphate

91

112

11,507,000

Potash

88

131

12,857,000

Sulfur

25

18

511,100

Nitrogen

94

117

4,430,300

Phosphate

66

52

1,401,200

Potash

82

155

5,147,000

Sulfur

8

20

614,000

Nitrogen

98

142

12,648,300

Phosphate

89

111

8,781,500

Potash

93

182

15,176,600

Sulfur

30

47

1,266,300

was the second most commonly utilized
fungicide, applied to 31 percent of acreage. It was

applied at an average rate of 1.414 pounds per
acre per crop year.

Top Insecticides Used by Percent Acres Treated, 2010 Program States
Insecticide Active
Ingredient
Sweet Corn
(FM)
Onions
Watermelons
Cucumbers
(FM)
Tomatoes (FM)

Acres Treated (%)

Rate per Crop Year
(Lbs/Acre)

Total Applied (Lbs)

Methomyl

60

2.87

371,600

Lambda-cyhalothrin

37

0.128

10,100

Methomyl

37

1.311

59,500

Chlorpyrifos

30

1.331

51,100

Imidacloprid

20

0.288

6,400

Methoxyfenozide

14

0.267

4,200

Bt subsp. kurstaki

19

N/A

N/A

Methomyl

15

1.138

6,700

Zeta-cypermethrin

37

0.101

3,400

Imidacloprid

33

0.376

11,200

Rates and total applied data are not available for the active ingredient Bacillus thuringiensis subsp.kurstaki because
amounts of active ingredient are not comparable between products.

Top Fungicides Used by Percent Acres Treated, 2010 Program States
Fungicide Active
Ingredient

Acres Treated
(%)

Rate per Crop Year
(Lbs/Acre)

Total Applied (Lbs)

14

4.94

148,300

Propiconazole

8

0.491

8,900

Mancozeb

56

3.091

240,300

Copper Hydroxide

50

1.441

88,600

Chlorothalonil

60

4.854

328,600

Mancozeb

49

5.454

301,500

Cucumbers
(FM)

Chlorothalonil

62

5.427

135,300

Propamocarb hydrochloride

31

1.414

17,500

Tomatoes
(FM)

Chlorothalonil

65

6.087

356,700

Copper hydroxide

62

4.146

232,600

Sweet Corn
(FM)
Onions
Watermelons

Mancozeb

Pesticides: Percent of Acres Treated, 2010 Program States
Herbicide

Insecticide

Fungicide

Other Chemicals

Sweet Corn (FM)
Onions
Watermelons
Cucumbers (FM)
Tomatoes (FM)

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Pest Management Practices

Vegetable growers reported using several management practices to aid in the deterrence of pests through
prevention, avoidance, monitoring and suppression strategies. The most commonly reported pest
management practice for prevention was field edges, ditches or fences were chopped, sprayed, mowed,
plowed or burned, used by 72 percent of the vegetable farms on 78 percent of the acres treated.
For avoidance practices, rotating crops during the past 3 years was used by the majority of vegetable farms,
81 percent, on 83 percent of the acreage. For monitoring practices, scouting for insects and mites were the
most commonly used scouting practices, used on 93 percent of the vegetable farms on 99 percent of the
acres treated.
The most frequently used pest suppression practice was to maintain ground covers, mulches or physical
barriers. This practice was used on 48 percent of the vegetable farms. Alternating pesticides with different
methods of application was used on 69 percent of the acreage.

Top Pest Management Practices, by Percent of
Farms Utlizing Practice, 2010 Program States
Top Practice

Top Pest Management Practices, by Percent of
Acres Utlizing Practice, 2010 Program States
Top Practice

%

%

Prevention

Field edges, ditches or fence lines
were chopped, sprayed, mowed,
plowed or burned

72

Prevention

Field edges, ditches or fence lines
were chopped, sprayed, mowed,
plowed, or burned

78

Avoidance

Rotated crops during past 3 years

81

Avoidance

Rotated crops during past 3 years

83

Monitoring

Scouted for insects and mites

93

Monitoring

Scouted for insects and mites

99

Suppression

Ground covers, mulches, or other
physical barriers maintained

48

Suppression

Pesticides with different mechanisms of action used to keep
pest from becoming resistant to
pesticides

69

For More Information
Data Summary Published to Quick Stats 2.0 on July 27, 2011
The 2010 agricultural chemical use data for vegetables are available through the Quick Stats 2.0 database on the NASS
website: www.nass.usda.gov.
To access the database directly, go to ‘http://quickstats.nass.usda.gov’ and select the following options:
•
•
•
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Under Program, select ‘Survey’
Under Sector, select ‘Environmental’
Under Group, select ‘Vegetables’
Under Commodity, select the particular vegetable you are interested in