Crop Information
To best understand the Australian system, it is important to understand where crops fall in the Codex crop groups.
The Codex crop groups are used by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) as part of assessment, and when one of these crop groups is mentioned on-label or in a minor use permit they cover a particular group of crops.
| Reference | Codex crop group | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 009 | Bulb vegetables | Leek, spring onion, shallots |
| 010 | Brassica vegetables | Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage |
| 011 | Fruiting vegetables – cucurbits | Pumpkin, cucumber, zucchini |
| 012 | Fruiting vegetables – other than cucurbits | Capsicum, chilli, sweet corn |
| 013 | Leafy vegetables | Lettuce, spinach, kale |
| 014 | Legume vegetables | Green bean, green pea, snow pea |
| 016 | Root and tuber vegetables | Carrot, parsnip, yam |
| 017 | Stalk and stem vegetables | Artichoke, celery, rhubarb |
| 027 | Herbs | Parsley |
Minor and major crops
Minor use permits have the intended purpose of normal use on a minor crop, and minor use on a major crop. Both ‘minor crop’ and ‘major crop’ are defined by the APVMA.
Specifically the guide for determining minor uses from the APVMA lists the major and minor crops.
Major vegetable crops
The following list is from the APVMA regarding which crops they consider to be ‘major’. This is important to understand when requesting a minor use permit.
Brassica vegetables
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
Fruiting vegetables – cucurbits
- Melons
- Pumpkin
Fruiting vegetables – other than cucurbits
- Peppers
Leafy vegetables
- Lettuce
Legume vegetables
- Bean (French and runner)
- Field pea
- Green pea
Root and tuber vegetables
- Carrot
This project is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the National Vegetable Levy funds from the Australian Government.
Minor use
Minor use is the permit system in Australia which allows for approved off-label use of agrichemicals for specific purposes. It is designed to assist minor crops gain greater access to agrichemicals when needed, and for approved minor use of agrichemicals on major crops.
Minor use is important because it plays an integral role in the Australian vegetable industry as on-label options are often limited for many vegetable crops, especially in the case of emerging crops grown for niche markets.
Strategic Agrichemical Review Process
To best understand the needs of vegetable growers, documents which represent current requirements are needed. The following Strategic Agrichemical Review Process (SARP) documents were produced with collaboration from growers across Australia.
Current vegetable SARP documents
- Beans and peas – 14 March 2014
- Beetroot – 10 February 2014
- Brassica leafy – 4 February 2014
- Brassica V2 – 15 February 2014
- Carrot – 5 February 2014
- Celery – 20 January 2014
- Cucumber – 15 February 2014
- Eggplant – 10 February 2014
- Leek – 15 February 2014
- Lettuce – 15 February 2014
- Parsley – 10 March 2014
- Peppers – 10 March 2014
- Silverbeet and spinach – 15 February 2014
- Snow and sugar snap peas- 18 February 2014
- Spring onion and shallot – 14 March 2014
- Sweet corn – 14 March 2014
- Sweetpotato – 14 March 2014
- Zucchini – 14 March 2014
As they were originally prepared in 2014, these documents may not currently represent the needs and major pest issues of vegetable growers.