George Shakour, currently pursuing a master’s degree in Biobased Sciences at Wageningen University & Research, spent the past six months working on his final research project at MPS. His project homes in on a hot button issue in the flowers & ornamentals industry: identifying useful alternatives to active substances recently placed on the MPS-List prohibited active substances.

At a time when crop protection legislation is changing rapidly, growers are in dire need of practical support. By combining scientific analysis with practical insight, Shakour made a valuable contribution, helped by his academic background in plant sciences and sustainability and personal commitment to environmental causes. Based on a list of 25 recently banned active substances, he identified alternative substances that could serve as substitutes. In doing so, he focused not only on efficacy, but also on environmental impact, dosage and price.

Systematic classification of substances and alternatives
Shakour classified the banned substances into three main groups:

  • rodent control agents (rodenticides);
  • insect and mite control agents (insecticides and acaricides);
  • soil insect and nematode control agents (nematicides).

He then examined which pests each group controls and which alternatives are available. This inventory was substantiated with data from scientific publications, European databases (including EU Database) and interviews with suppliers.
Obtaining pricing information proved difficult in practice, as many vendors do not share these data publicly. Nevertheless, Shakour was able to gather valuable information, including on the cost of organic alternatives, due in part to direct industry contracts and by visiting the HortiContact trade fair.

Practical industry experience
To supplement his literature review, Shakour interviewed growers in e.g. the Westland, Boskoop and Alphen aan den Rijn areas, providing valuable insights on how growers arrive at their crop protection choices and what obstacles they run into. An important signal Shakour managed to glean from the interviews is that while many growers are willing to become more sustainable, they feel a decided lack of support when it comes to finding substitutes for banned substances.
In practice, vendor dependence proves high, while their advice is often biased due to matters of inventory and commercial interests. Shakour’s research provides an independent, convenient alternative that allows growers to make informed choices based on their specific situation.

A useful tool for growers
The result is a highly usable table listing alternative active substances grouped by pest and group of banned substances, along with granular details on dosage, mechanism of action, environmental impact and estimated cost. This makes the table a valuable aid for growers looking to switch over to permitted and potentially more sustainable alternatives.
Strikingly, the table shows the stark price differences between chemical and organic crop protection agents, with the latter often being 10 to even 100 times more expensive than their chemical counterparts. Nevertheless, selected growers have made the conscious decision to use organic agents, due in part to fly the flag for sustainable cultivation practices. According to Shakour, MPS could consider offering additional accreditation or certification for growers who rely exclusively on organic control methods in the future.

Positive response from growers
Participating growers were delighted with the initiative, appreciating the support and the fact that MPS was actively contributing to practical solutions. “Some growers even sent me flowers as a token of their gratitude,” says Shakour. Their high level of appreciation only underscores the need for useful tools to help growers comply with stringent crop protection requirements.

Future prospects
With this valuable research project, Shakour contributed to the development of alternative crop protection strategies and provided a highly usable practical tool. Having obtained his degree, Shakour plans to embark on a career in crop protection or the broader context of environmental impact and sustainability. “I hope to leverage my knowledge for a sustainable future, tapping into scientific insights while fostering practical applicability.”

We are very grateful for George’s hard work!
An in-depth article about his study results will follow soon, so keep an eye on our website and social media.