25th Meeting of the Panel on Efficacy Evaluation of Herbicides and Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs)

Ås (Norway), 2025-02-19/20

 

 

The Panel on Efficacy Evaluation of Herbicides and Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs) considers all aspects of data requirements for efficacy evaluation of these products and promotes harmonisation of data requirements to facilitate communication and regulatory data exchange on Herbicides and PGRs between authorities in different countries and between industry (applicants). A list of members and the Terms of Reference of the Panel are available on the EPPO website.

 

The Panel meeting was held in Ås, Norway, on February 19–20, 2025. Many thanks are due to the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) for kindly hosting the meeting. The meeting was attended by EPPO Scientific Officers Mr Lucchesi (Chair) and Mr Martinez Perez and seven Panel members from six EPPO countries, and one CropLife Europe representative.

 

 

The Panel continued its work on preparing Standards for conducting field trials to evaluate the efficacy of herbicides and plant growth regulators.

 

The Panel worked on the development of two new Specific Standards:

  • PP 1 (NEW) Efficacy assessment of herbicides if long-term control of perennial weeds is claimed. This Standard intends to focus on providing more detailed description for assessments of perennial weeds when long-term control of perennial weeds is claimed in perennial crops, in annual crops, between crops, and in non-crop areas.
  • PP 1 (NEW) Assessment in the case of herbicide split applications. This Standard will describe the principles to be followed when evaluating efficacy of herbicides when used in split applications.

 

The Panel also worked on the revision of two Specific Standards:

  • PP 1/156 Accelerated ripening of oilseed crops and large-grain legumes. The revision will incorporate efficacy assessment of desiccants in sunflower.
  • PP 1/144 Reduction of lodging in cereals and maize. The assessment method will be updated.

 

It is expected that these Standards will be sent for country consultation this year.

 

The Panel was updated regarding the progress made on the EPPO Resistance Cases Database over the past year and the status of the EPPO Database for Extrapolation possibilities for minor uses. The activities of the European Minor Uses Coordination Facility were also presented to the Panel.

 

A technical visit was provided at NIBIO to the participants of the Panel, including a demonstration on perennial weeds (e.g. Taraxacum officinale). Three divisions of the Biotechnology and Plant Health Department were visited: the Viruses, Bacteria and Nematodes division, the Pesticides and Natural Products Chemistry division and the Invertebrate Pests and Weeds division.

 

The next meeting of the Panel is tentatively scheduled to take place towards the end of January 2026 (final dates to be confirmed) in Paris at the EPPO Headquarters.