Polyoxorim Usage 2010-2014

Agricultural Usage

Polyoxorim (also known as polyoxin D), is the active portion of the active ingredient polyoxin d Zinc salt compound (PC 

Code 23000) (EPA 2003).

The following figures and tables describes the agricultural usage of Polyoxorim between 2010 and 2014, from Market 

Research Data (MRD), which was collected and sold by a private market research firm. This firm collects data on 

pesticide usage for about 60 crops by annual surveys of agricultural users in the continental United States. Survey 

methodology provides statistically valid results, typically at the state level.

Reported usage of polyoxorim increased steeply between 2010 and 2012, both in terms of total area treated and total 

pounds applied. Since 2012, however, usage has been steadily declining (Figure 1). Although Polyoxorim was registered 

prior to 2010, no usage was reported by MRD in earlier years.

Figure 1. Polyoxorim Total Acres Treated and Total Pounds A.I. Applied (2010-2014).

Source: Market Research Data (MRD). 2010-2014.

Approximately 70% of polyoxorim, both average pounds applied and acres treated annually, is applied to almonds. The 

remaining 30% of usage is split between pistachios and grapes. All four crops have similar average reported application 

rates (between 0.042 and 0.044). All usage reported by MRD occurred in California (Table 1).

Table 1. Polyoxorim Use on Crops: Average A.I. Rate (2010-2014). 

Crop Average Pounds 

A.I./year

Average Total 

Acres Treated 

/year *

Average A.I. Rate 

(lbs a.i./acre)

Average Percent 

Crop Treated

State

Almonds 2,500 291,000 0.044 5 California

Pistachios 750 86,000 0.044 10 California

Grapes, Wine 150 17,000 0.042 <2.5 California

Grapes, Table 80 10,000 0.043 10 California

Total 3,480 404,000 0.043** California

* Total Acres Treated sums all acres treated for a crop, including those acres that receive multiple treatments.

** Other Avg. AI Rate is the average of the average rates used on all crops.

Source: Market Research Data (MRD). 2010-2014.

0

10,000

0

200,000

20102011201220132014

Pounds AI Total Area 

Treated

Total Area Treated Pounds AI
In addition to private Market Research Data source cited above, polyoxin usage is reported in the United States 

Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS). While the majority of NASS’ survey 

data on agricultural crops was “withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations”, it did show reportable usage 

on strawberries in 2014. While the average application rate reported for strawberries by NASS is similar to those reported 

for almonds, pistachios, and grapes by MRD, NASS reports that the average pounds applied to strawberries in 2014 was 

nearly equal to the amount reported on all four crops reported by MRD (Table 2). 

Table 2. Polyoxorim Use on Strawberries (2014). 

Crop Average Pounds 

A.I./year

Average A.I. Rate/ 

Application

(lbs a.i./acre)

Average Number of 

Applications per Year

Percent Crop Treated

Strawberries 3,300 0.474 1.7 7

Source: USDA NASS

Usage on strawberries in 2014 was not reported in MRD. This difference in reported crops is likely due to differences in 

surveying methodology and coverage between the two databases.

The low reported percent crop treated on all sites in both databases suggests this chemical is not of great importance to the 

production of these crops.

Non-Agricultural Usage

USDA NASS also provides limited data on polyoxorim usage on ornamentals. This reported data shows that average 

application rates to ornamentals are slightly lower than those applied to agricultural crops. The low reported percent of 

operations treated on all sites suggests this chemical is not of great importance to the overall nursery and floriculture 

industry (Table 3). As with the agricultural crops surveyed by NASS, the sample size for many of these site is so small for 

polyoxorim that data was withheld to prevent identifying individual operations. 

Table 3. Polyoxorim Use on Ornamentals (2009). 

Site

Average A.I. Rate/ 

Application

(lbs a.i./acre)

Percent of 

Operations Treated

Bedding Plants, Annual 0.016 2

Bedding Plants, Herbaceous Perennial (D) 2

Cut Flowers 0.036 5

Deciduous Flowering Trees (D) 1

Deciduous Shrubs (D) 1

Evergreens, Broadleaf (D) 1

Propagative Material, Floriculture (D) 2

Flowering Plants, Potted 0.037 1

Floriculture Totals 0.031 2

Nursery Totals 0.039 (Z)

Nursery & Floriculture Totals 0.031 1

(D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations

(Z) Less than half the rounding unit

Source: USDA NASS
References

EPA. 2003. Consideration of Eligibility for Registration of the New Pesticide Active Ingredient Polyoxin D Zinc SaltDECISION MEMORANDUM. 

http://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/reg_actions/registration/related_PC-230000_1-Jul-03.pdf