Impact of Multiple Applications of Insecticides and Post-harvest Washing on Residues at Harvest and Associated Risk for Cherry Export

Abstract

Residue profiling was used to determine the degradation curves of four key insecticides registered for use in US tart cherries. Single and multiple application treatment regimens with minimum and maximum seasonal applications were tested for their effects on residue levels at harvest. The effects of the cherry washing procedure were also tested. The residue profiles suggest that fenpropathrin, cyantraniliprole, phosmet, and spinetoram would be relatively low risk for US tart cherry growers to use when exporting from the US to most prospective international markets. Fenpropathrin exceeded the European Union’s MRL at harvest for single or multiple applications and unwashed or washed treatments, making fenpropathrin a moderate risk for export to the EU.