Sustainability Indicators for the Environmental Impact Assessment of Plant Protection Products Use in Moroccan Vineyards

Abstract

The Sebou River Basin is vital for Moroccan agriculture, particularly in terms of producing industrial crops, fruits, vegetables, and olive oil. It is especially significant in viticulture, accounting for 80% and 60% of the national production area for wine and table grapes, respectively. However, the prevalence of diseases and pests requires extensive pesticide application in vineyards. This study aims to assess the impact of pesticides used in vineyards on the environment, human health and their associated sustainability. Agro-environmental indicators were evaluated across 30 vineyards covering 1197 hectares. Results show an average treatment frequency of 24.05 applications per growing cycle, the highest among grape-producing countries, with 77.94% being fungicides. The Quantity of Active Substances Indicator (QASI) reveals a high pesticide application rate of 44.60 Kg a.i./ha. Over 50% of chemicals are classified as “hazardous” based on the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ). A Pesticide Environmental Risk Indicator model (PERI) identifies three active ingredients with a high Environmental Risk Score (>5). Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) reveals that copper sulfate has significant environmental impacts compared to Mancozeb and sulfur. These findings highlight the extensive use of pesticides in vineyards, posing challenges to long-term sustainable agriculture due to associated environmental and health risks.