The symposium topic

Production systems are considered as “sustainable” if input provides stable output with a minimum of unfavourable side effects on the environment. Many current plant production systems are characterized by rapidly grown, highly extractive plant varieties creating imbalanced ecological interrelationships. The respective inputs are mostly of chemical-synthetic nature, including mineral fertilizers, plant protection agents, growth regulators etc., because they can be handled rather efficiently with predictable success and partially replace or complement natural adaptations for nutrient acquisition and stress resilience.

However, our view on modern agriculture is changing: integrated plant production means intensification of using natural components in plant production systems. Due to environmental issues, use of chemical-synthetical components should be minimized. In this context, establishing a more holistic, agro-ecological approach is necessary.

The transformation process from the current conventional to more sustainable, future-oriented production is essential: Which strategies are most promising? Do we need marketed products for a bio-intensification of our production system? Are all necessary components legally authorised for the producers?

Accordingly, this symposium will deal with two major questions:

How can soil improvers, biostimulants, and bioprotectants help to promote and boost the bio-intensification?

Can we find management options to re-establish natural cycles helping us to equilibrate the system during production?

The symposium topic

The regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 provides the regulatory framework to place plant protection products on the market. At the same time  directive 2009/128/EC aims to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides in the EU and defines how Integrated Plant Protection should be performed supported by national Action Plans.  One of the most important actions is the stimulation of different products proved to have a lower health and environmental risk than conventional pesticides.

These products we want to speak about are often materials that are biologically-derived or, if synthetic, structurally similar and functionally identical to a biologically occurring material. Microorganism, plant extracts, basic substances, semiochemicals, as well as non-pesticidal products like biostimulants, biological yield enhancers, plant health promoters, and soil conditioners are a matter of discussion.

For all of them we use  the widely known term “biorationals“, as an operative expression to speak about certain kinds of components of plant protection strategies, which are assumed to have advantages concerning risk characteristics on the one hand while at the same time provide acceptable efficacy in reducing pest impact. Nevertheless it is not our intention to propose a new legal category.

Due to the progress in science and driven by ten years of experience with regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 and directive 2009/128/EC (and the related regulatory framework)  it is necessary to highlight and discuss exemplary aspects of new developments and to reflect experiences made with biorationals within the existing regulatory framework.

The discussion should elucidate critical aspects which impede the efficient introduction of biorationals on the market and preview difficulties of new technologies with the regulatory framework.