[HIGHLIGHTS] According to the study, pesticides from apple cultivation in South Tyrol also reach the mountains

Pesticides from apple cultivation in South Tyrol also reach the mountains. The Vinschgau is the largest contiguous apple-growing region in Europe.

Pesticides can be detected throughout the valley, but also at high altitudes and protected areas. Even at the low concentrations measured, pesticides can lead to so-called sublethal, i.e. not directly fatal, effects on organisms. For butterflies, a reduction in egg laying is conceivable. In Germany, the use of methoxyfenozide has been banned since 2018.