Consequences of the neonicotinoid seed treatment ban on oilseed rape production - what can be learnt from the Swedish experience?

There has been great concern about negative effects on crop production resulting from the ban on insecticide seed treatments containing neonicotinoids. I examine how the neonicotinoid ban has affected crop protection and crop production in oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) using Sweden as a case study and compare the Swedish situation with that in leading countries growing winter and spring oilseed rape, respectively. The cropping area of winter and spring oilseed rape in Sweden has increased by approximately 40% to around 100 000 ha and decreased by approximately 90% to around 4000 ha, respectively following the ban and there are trends for increased pest and disease pressure. Overall, however, the ban has not had any major impacts on total oilseed rape cropping area or crop yields per hectare of either winter or spring oilseed rape, which is in contrast to elsewhere in Europe. In Germany and the United Kingdom, for example, the cropping area has decreased following the ban on neonicotinoid seed treatments, attributed to increased insect pest pressure especially from cabbage stem flea beetle, Psylliodes chrysocephala. I conclude that winter oilseed rape has remained a viable crop to grow in Sweden without insecticide seed treatments, but that further investments into integrated pest management are needed for sustainable insect pest control in oilseed rape in the future. © 2021 The Author. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.