From organic to green: terms used in floriculture explained

From organic floriculture to green crop protection products and biological control agents. These are terms that are often used in the floriculture sector; sometimes correctly, sometimes incorrectly. But what do these terms actually mean? We explain them in this article.

What are organic crop protection products?

Most growers use fertilisers and crop protection products to grow and protect their plants or flowers. For example, against weeds, insects, fungi and other harmful organisms, diseases or pests. Crop protection products help to keep crops healthy and prevent crop failures.

The crop protection products used are becoming increasingly sustainable and have an ever-decreasing environmental impact. In the past, crop protection products mainly contained chemical substances. The Netherlands’ ambition is to grow crops largely without chemical crop protection products by 2030. That is why there are more and more crop protection products of natural origin on the market. These are products based on micro-organisms (such as fungi and bacteria) and/or whose active ingredient is derived from plant and/or herbal extracts. Examples include neem, orange or garlic extracts. These crop protection products, like pheromones (attractants), fall under the category of biological crop protection products.

The use of biological crop protection products has increased significantly in recent years. Over the last few decades, the use of microbiological products against pests has increased tenfold. In greenhouse horticulture, approximately 50 to 90 per cent of the cultivated area uses microbiological products (source: CBS). In recent years, the use of microbial agents against diseases has also risen sharply, particularly in soil-based cultivation.

An increasingly diverse range of biological crop protection products is becoming available. Existing and new manufacturers are working to bring more biological crop protection products to market. These are often lengthy processes, sometimes taking as long as ten years. There is simply not enough time for this, given the targets set for 2030. The European Commission is therefore working on an accelerated assessment process for the many biological products.

Good to know:

• The assessment and authorisation of organic crop protection products follow the same procedure as for chemical crop protection products. Read more about this in this article.
• Unlike the fruit and vegetable sector (AGF), there are no statutory Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for crop protection products in the floriculture sector. An MRL is the legally permitted maximum residue (residual content) of a substance in or on foodstuffs. Naturally, the aim – including in the floriculture sector – remains to keep any residues on the crop as low as possible.

When is something 'green'?
The term ‘green’ (and/or ‘chemical-free’) is often used, including in the context of crop protection. ‘Green’ is not an official term or designation. It is more of a collective term. In the Netherlands, it has been agreed to refer to organic products and low-risk products collectively as ‘green’ products. There is no ‘green’ label or certificate proving that a grower is green or operates in a green manner. However, the Netherlands does have the ‘100% Groen Geteeld’ initiative. This is led by the ‘accelerators’ in the floriculture sector. Their ambition: to grow crops without chemical crop protection products. The aim: to grow crops profitably within an integrated, resilient cultivation system using greenery, organic and technological solutions.

What are biological control agents?
Growers can also protect their crops using biological control agents. These are not crop protection products, but living insects and other creatures that control diseases and pests. Examples include parasitic wasps, predatory mites and nematodes (roundworms). These are, as it were, the natural enemies of everything that causes diseases and pests. Biological control agents may be used both in greenhouses and in outdoor cultivation (open-field cultivation) provided they are on the list of natural enemies that do not require a licence, or if an environmental permit has been applied for and granted by RVO (in the Netherlands).

Integrated Pest Management
Biological control agents are being used increasingly, in line with the principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). In crops such as roses, barberton daisies and chrysanthemums, virtually all growers (95–100 per cent) use biological control agents. In pot plants, this percentage is lower (approx. 75–85 per cent). This is often because, at the time of sales, the biological control agents are still present in the crop, which is perceived as ‘bugs’ in the crop, whereas in fact these agents are included precisely to prevent harmful pests. This approach prevents and controls diseases and pests in a less harmful and more environmentally friendly way. Most growers in Europe, and therefore also in the Netherlands, operate in accordance with IPM. IPM is also part of the certification process under the FSI requirements.

Good to know: 

• In addition to IPM, the term Integrated Crop Management (ICM) is also being used increasingly. Like IPM, ICM is a comprehensive, systems-based approach. However, it encompasses more areas of expertise than just pest, weed and disease control; these include soil health, irrigation and nutrient management. The aim is to create a crop that is as resilient and robust as possible.
• Biological control agents are not effective against all pests. Research into new biological control agents is ongoing. When using biological control agents, it is important to ensure they have sufficient food and shelter.
• More and more growers are hiring crop protection advisers to advise them on the use of biological control agents.
• Would you like to know more about IPM (and how it works)? Read this article.

When is a flower or plant ‘organic’?
To be able to officially label a flower or plant as ‘organic’, you, as a grower, need an EU Organic certificate. In the Netherlands, Skal Biocontrole is the independent organisation that oversees the organic production chain and checks whether companies comply with European organic legislation and regulations, the Dutch Agricultural Quality Act, and the regulations and principles of EU Organic.

An EU Organic certificate is a legally required quality mark for any company that produces, handles, packages, trades, stores or imports organic products. With such a certificate, you demonstrate that you comply with European legislation on organic agriculture and food production. Any suppliers and intermediaries of plant material must also be EU Organic certified.Anyone wishing to use the ‘organic’ (EU Organic/Skal) label for their flowers or plants must produce:Furthermore, only crop protection products listed on the Skal input list may be used. The principles are laid down in European organic legislation, including Regulation (EU) 2018/848.For growers, particularly those in greenhouses, it remains difficult to obtain EU Organic/Skal certification. Fewer than 1 per cent of growers affiliated with Royal FloraHolland are organic. This is partly due to the stricter rules governing the use of crop protection products and the requirement that flowers and plants must be grown in open ground. For many growers, it is too challenging – in terms of plant health, cultivation systems and economics. The floriculture sector does not view working organically as much as possible as an end in itself, but rather as a means of minimising its environmental impact as much as possible. The plant protection covenant also focuses primarily on reducing the overall environmental impact by limiting the use of harmful crop protection products.

Anyone wishing to use the ‘organic’ label (EU Organic/Skal) for their flowers or plants must produce them:

• Without artificial fertilisers.
• Without synthetic chemical crop protection products.
• Without genetically modified organisms.
• Grown in open ground.

Furthermore, only crop protection products listed on the Skal input list may be used. These principles are laid down in European organic legislation, including Regulation (EU) 2018/848.

For growers, particularly those in greenhouses, it remains difficult to obtain EU Organic/Skal certification. Fewer than 1 per cent of growers affiliated with Royal FloraHolland are organic. This is partly due to the stricter rules governing the use of crop protection products and the requirement that flowers and plants must be grown in open ground. For many growers, it is too challenging – in terms of plant health, cultivation systems and economics. The floriculture sector does not view working organically as much as possible as an end in itself, but rather as a means of minimising its environmental impact as much as possible. The Agreement on Future-Proof Crop Protection also focuses primarily on reducing the overall environmental impact by limiting the use of harmful crop protection products.

Good to know: 

• Production and the sales market for organic plants and flowers are still limited at present. However, the market is certainly growing.
• Organic products must meet far more criteria than just biological plant protection products. For example, there are also criteria relating to fertilisation and cultivation methods.

What about biocides and biostimulants?
Two other terms containing ‘bio’ are biocides and biostimulants. 

Biocides
Biocides are not crop protection products. Although they do combat bacteria and other harmful organisms, they must not be used on plants, crops or plant products. Biocides are used, for example, to disinfect greenhouses, growing systems, pots and tools to remove bacteria, fungi and viruses. The Ctgb assesses which products may be used and for what purposes.

Biostimulants
Biostimulants are also not crop protection products. They are, however, applied to plants, crops or in the soil. They fall under the EU Fertiliser Regulation. Biostimulants contain substances or micro-organisms that ensure that:

• Crops use nutrients more efficiently.
• Crops are better able to withstand adverse conditions, such as drought, soil with a high salt content or extreme temperatures (abiotic stress).
• Nutrients in the soil become more readily available to the crops.
• Certain quality characteristics of a plant, such as scent and colour, are enhanced.

Good to know: 

• A biostimulant must not be marketed or recommended as a remedy for a specific disease or pest. A stronger crop may indirectly be less susceptible, but that does not make the biostimulant a crop protection product. Biocides and biostimulants can both form part of an IPM or ICM plan, each fulfilling its own functionality and within the legal scope of the product’s use.

For the explanation of organic crop protection products, biological control agents and biostimulants, detailed information was obtained from Artemis, the sector organisation for producers and distributors of organic crop protection products and biostimulants.