Background Reducing reliance on pesticides is a key objective for sustainable crop production. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) promotes preventative and non-chemical approaches to manage pests, weeds, and diseases while maintaining yield alongside targeted use of pesticides where needed. However, the relationship between preventative practices, pesticide use, and profitability in UK winter wheat remains poorly quantified. Methods Data from 144 winter wheat fields were analysed, combining entries from the IPM Network (IPMnet) and Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) spanning 2016–2024. Farmers provided agronomic details, pesticide applications, and yield data. Pesticide use was expressed as Treatment Frequency Index (TFI), calculated from application rates relative to registered label doses. Linear Mixed Effects Models were used to identify factors influencing herbicide, fungicide, and insecticide TFI, yield, and margin after crop protection spend. Results Median overall TFI was 7.5 (range: 3.27–14.15), with fungicides contributing most to pesticide use. Median yield was 10.9 t/ha, and median crop protection spend was £30/ha. Three non-chemical practices correlated with reduced pesticide use: ploughing was associated with lower herbicide TFI by 1.06 units; higher varietal resistance ratings were associated with lowered fungicide TFI; and cover crops were associated with a 0.92-unit reduction in insecticide TFI. Overall TFI showed a positive association with yield, but not with profit margin, indicating that higher pesticide inputs did not translate into greater economic returns. Conclusions The findings suggest that preventative IPM actions can reduce pesticide inputs without compromising yield or profitability. While higher pesticide use was linked to slightly higher yields, economic benefits were not evident after accounting for input costs. These results provide benchmarks for pesticide use in the UK and highlight opportunities for integrating non-chemical strategies into winter wheat production. Further research should explore pest pressure data and long-term impacts of IPM adoption on farm economics and environmental outcomes.
Ramsden et al. (Fri,) studied this question.