Environmental Impact Quotient, Efficacy and Economic Analysis of Insecticide Resistance Management and Farmer Practices in Chinese Kale in Thailand

An evaluation of the environmental impact and cost-benefit performance of management strategies for Chinese kale cultivation was conducted in Thamuang District, Kanchanaburi Province, during the period from March to May 2024.The study compared an Insecticide Resistance Management (IRM) strategy with two conventional farming practices commonly adopted by local growers.Results indicated that the IRM approach significantly reduced both the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) and field impact ratings, with values of 87.16 and 27.58, respectively, compared to the higher values observed under traditional farmer practices.The elevated EIQ values associated with conventional methods were primarily attributed to the frequent and intensive use of insecticides such as fipronil and related chemical compounds.A risk level analysis according to the EIQ field use rating revealed that the IRM strategy presented a low risk, while both farmer practices fell under the moderate risk category.An economic analysis of insecticide usage, labor costs, yield, and return on investment demonstrated that the IRM strategy involved significantly lower production costs (13,440 Thai baht/ha), representing a reduction of 22.75 to 32.59% compared to conventional farmer practices.The benefit-cost ratio, indicating the relationship between total yield value and combined insecticide and labor costs, was highest for the IRM strategy (13.32) compared to ratios of 10.72 and 9.45 for the two farmer groups, respectively.