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    PROPARGITE        JMPR 1978

    Explanation

         Propargite was evaluated in 1977 (FAO/WHO, 1978b), when a
    temporary ADI was allocated and a number of maximum residue limits
    were recommended. The compound is due for reevaluation in 1981, but
    some of the information recorded as desirable by the 1977 Meeting
    has been received and is reviewed in the following monograph
    addendum.

    IDENTITY

         The data given below supplement the information given in the
    1977 evaluation.

    Synonym

              Proparigite

              Information on identity and properties

              Molecular weight: 350

              Physical form: Light to dark brown viscous liquid

              Odor:   Faint solvent odor. A strong odor of SO2 may mean
                      that partial decomposition has occurred.

              Volatility: Low

              Specific gravity 25°C: 1.085 - 1.115

              Flash point: 28°C (min.) Pensky Martens

              Stability:  Between 0.5 and 1.0% propylene oxide is added
                          to stabilize Omite Technical. Shows no
                          degradation after 12 months storage.

              Water, max.%:Less than 0.1

              Solubility: Water - about 0.5 mg/kg 25°C. Miscible with
                          organic solvents such as acetone, benzene,
                          ethanol heptane and methanol.

    Assay Method

         Infrared spectroscopy based on the propargyl absorption at
    3.03 microns in comparison with a standard of known purity.

    Formulation

              OMITE - 4D          4% Dust
              OMITE - 3OW         30% Wettable Powder
              OMITE - 57E         57% Emulsifiable Concentrate
              OMITE - 6E          68% Emulsifiable Concentrate
              OMITE               75% Emulsifiable Concentrate

    RESIDUES IN FOOD AND THEIR EVALUATION

    USE PATTERN

         Propargite is a specific acaricide which, when used at
    recommended rates, is relatively safe to honey bees and many
    beneficial parasitic and predaceous insects. Predaceous mites will
    not be eliminated from treated areas and it can be successfully
    used in integrated control programmes.

    Pre-harvest treatments

         In countries other than the United States formulations are
    registered for use on apples, apricots, cherries, citrus, maize,
    cotton, grapes, hops, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, prunes,
    raspberries, strawberries, tea, vegetables such as beans and
    cucumbers and ornamentals.

         Propargite has provided effective control of the following
    mite species: apple rust mite, Banks grass mite, brown mite, citrus
    red mite, citrus rust mite, clover mite, cyclamen mite, European
    red mite, McDaniel spider mite, Pacific spider mite, peach silver
    mite, six-spotted mite, strawberry spider mite, Texas citrus mite,
    two-spotted spider mite, Willamette mite.

    RESIDUES RESULTING FROM SUPERVISED TRIALS

    Residues in crops

         Residue data were available from Field Tests conducted in the
    Netherlands, South Africa, Canada and India. Results are summarized
    in Table 1.

    FATE OF RESIDUES

    In plants

         Propargite - 14C (Phenyl), formulated as Comite(R), was
    applied to defined areas in the upper surfaces of mature leaves on
    two Blue Lake Bush Bean plants (Wong et al., 1978). After seven
    days, 68% of the applied radioactivity was recovered from the
    treated area as propargite. no significant translocation of
    radioactivity to untreated areas of the treated leaf or to


        TABLE 1. Propargite residues from supervised trials

                                                                                                                           

    Crop              Country               Application              Residues, mg/kg,
                                                                     Days after application
                                                                                                                           

    Apples            Netherlands           Omite 30W                0         7         14        21
    Var. 1                                                           0.79      0.79      0.84      0.78
    Var. 2                                                           0.73      0.82      0.60      0.93

                      S. Africa                                      0         2         6         13        20
                                            Omite 30W                1.03      0.94      0.87      0.62      -
                                            Omite 57E                0.99      1.08      0.82      1.02      0.84

                      Ontario, Canada       0.61 lbs. ai/acre        14
    MacIntosh                                                        0.33
    Spy                                                              0.59
    Golden Del.                                                      0.59

                                            0.54 lbs. ai/acre
    MacIntosh                                                        0.43
    Spy                                                              0.20
    Golden Del.                                                      0.47

    Tomatoes          Netherlands           Aerosol                  0         3
                                                                     1.21      1.23

                      S. Africa             Omite 30W                0         3         7         14        21        28
                                                                     1.11      1.29      1.44      0.35      0.43      0.30

    Cucumbers         Netherlands           Aerosol                  0         3
                      Site 1                                         0.32      0.18
                      Site 2                                         0.23       -

    Tea leaves        Borbhetta, India      Omite 57E                7
    Manufactured                            0.75 kg. ai/ha           0.5
                                                                     0.5

    TABLE 1. (Cont'd)

                                                                                                                           

    Crop              Country               Application              Residues, mg/kg,
                                                                     Days after application
                                                                                                                           

                                                                     0.5
                                            1.5 kg. ai/ha            1.1
                                                                     1.0
                                                                     0.97
    Sun dried                               0.75 kg. ai/ha           0.7
                                                                     0.5
                                                                     0.5
                                            1.5 kg. ai/ha            0.9
                                                                     0.9
                                                                     0.9

    Manufactured      Cinchona District,    1.50 kg. ai/ha           7
                      S. India                                       2.04
                                                                     2.04
                                                                     2.24
    Sun dried                                                        1.52
                                                                     1.24
                                                                     1.16

    Manufactured      Assam, N. India       0.75 kg ai/ha            7
                                                                     0.50
                                                                     0.46
                                                                     0.52
                                            1.50 kg ai/ha            1.14
                                                                     1.00
                                                                     0.97
    Sun dried                               0.75 kg ai/ha            0.66
                                                                     0.45
                                                                     0.46
                                            1.50 kg ai/ha            0.89
                                                                     0.90
                                                                     0.90

    TABLE 1. (Cont'd)

                                                                                                                           

    Crop              Country               Application              Residues, mg/kg,
                                                                     Days after application
                                                                                                                           

    Manufactured      Madras, India         0.75 kg ai/ha            0         7         14        28

                                                                     67        4         <0.1      <0.1
                                                                     61        3.8       <0.1
                                                                     48        4.2       <0.1
    Sun dried                                                        161       2.6       0.2       <0.1
                                                                     174       1.1       <0.1
                                                                     178       1.8       <0.1

    Manufactured      Coimbatore District   0.31 kg ai/ha            7         14
                                                                     <0.1      0.2
    Sun dried                                                        0.3       <0.1
                                                                                                                           

    

    untreated portions of the whole plant was observed by autoradiography 
    (sensitivity: 0.1% of applied 14C). Thus, residues of propargite and 
    its degradation products found in beans are unlikely to result from 
    translocation.

         In another experiment, two Blue Lake Bush Bean plants were
    treated with two applications of propargite - 14C, formulated as
    Comite(R), according to field usage. After harvest 1.8% of the
    applied radioactivity remained on the beans (5.6 mg/kg calculated as
    propargite). The majority (60.4%) of the radioactivity associated with
    the beans was characterized as propargite - 14C and the remainder
    consisted mainly of polar material (29.3%) and unextractable residues
    (5.5%).

    APPRAISAL

         Propargite in a specific acaricide with registered uses on a wide
    variety of agricultural crops in many countries. It was first
    evaluated by the Joint Meeting in 1977. In response to questions
    arising from that meeting information was received and evaluated on
    residues resulting from supervised trials in countries other than the
    U.S.A. and on the translocation and fate of residues in plants.

         Summary data on the results of field trials on apples were
    received from Canada, the Netherlands and South Africa, on tomatoes
    from the Netherlands and South Africa and on cucumbers from the
    Netherlands. These data indicated that it would be unlikely for
    residues to exceed 2 mg/kg on apples, 2 mg/kg on tomatoes, or 0.5
    mg/kg on cucumbers.

         Detailed data were received an field trials on tea in various
    regions in India. Since it is common practice in tea culture to pick
    leaves repeatedly from the same bush at a desired stage of growth, it
    is possible to have some leaves harvested as soon as 1 day after
    treatment, especially if repeated treatments are required. However, in
    the absence of information on the need for repeated treatments, it was
    assumed that control over the pre-harvest interval could be exercised
    by growers and an interval of 7 days was selected on which to base
    recommendations. Data on residues on manufactured tea at a pre-harvest
    interval of 7 days show that values of 5 mg/kg would not be exceeded.

         Experiments with 14C-labelled propargite, formulated as
    COMITE(R), applied either to defined areas of Blue Lake Bush Bean
    leaves or according to field usage indicated that no significant
    translocation of propargite or its degradation products took place and
    that the residue on beans consisted mainly (60.4%) of propargite, the
    remainder being polar material (29.3%) and unextractables (5.5%).

    RECOMMENDATIONS

         The following temporary maximum residue limits are recommended.
    Those for tea, tomatoes and cucumbers are new. Those for apples, figs

    and peers are amended on the basis of new data and to comply with the
    usual manner of expressing limits.

              Commodity                     Limit, mg/kg

              Tea (dried, manufactured)     5

              Apples                        2

              Figs                          2

              Pears                         2

              Tomatoes                      2

              Cucumbers                     0.5

    FURTHER WORK OR INFORMATION

    Desirable

    1. Additional data from supervised trials in countries other than
    U.S.A.

    2. Information on the occurrence of residues on commodities in
    commerce.

    REFERENCES

    Uniroyal, Technical Data Sheet on OMITE(R) Acaricide

    Uniroyal, Residue Data obtained from Field Tests conducted
    (1978)              outside the USA.

    Wong, D.T.L., Tortora, N.J., Fuller G.B. and Cardona, R.A.
    (1978)              Translocation and Fate of Propargite - 14C on
                        Blue Lake Bush Beans. Report on Project No. 7834,
                        Uniroyal Chemical.
    


    See Also:
       Toxicological Abbreviations
       Propargite (Pesticide residues in food: 1977 evaluations)
       Propargite (Pesticide residues in food: 1979 evaluations)
       Propargite (Pesticide residues in food: 1980 evaluations)
       Propargite (Pesticide residues in food: 1982 evaluations)
       Propargite (JMPR Evaluations 1999 Part II Toxicological)