Floriculture crops as a source of green pesticides

Floriculture Crops contain natural plant compounds with a protective effect against diseases and pests that occur in agriculture and horticulture. A literature review of Kenniscentrum Plantenstoffen had demonstrated this earlier. The recent study ‘The floriculture in the Biobased Economy of the consortium FloraHolland Kenniscentrum Plantenstoffen, Wageningen UR, and Fytagoras, Prisna confirms this by now practical.

This consortium is investigating the possibility of winning green plant-protecting agents from 20 selected ornamentals. These crops, which as a favorite from the literature and are grown in the Netherlands are grown specifically for this purpose by a number of growers disease free and without use of pesticides. It extracts are made from the green parts of plants, flowers and sometimes the roots. A number of horticultural extracts from the extract library of Kenniscentrum Plantenstoffen are added.

All these extracts are tested on a number of important plant diseases and pests such as mildew, botrytis, aphids, spider mites and thrips. Moreover, they are chemically analyzed.

First results of the study promising

The first reut let the project are very promising. Extracts of some ornamental plants shown to be effective against include spider mites and mildew. The investigation against aphids, thrips and botrytis is ongoing.

Beginning in 2016 will be completed this project and it is determined whether it offers perspective for future commercial application.

For more info: jan.smits@plantenstoffen.nl