What is chemical-free crop protection?

The beginning: the first generation of pesticides

The idea of organic and chemical-free plant protection and gardening goes hand in hand with the idea of sustainability, but it hasn't always been that way! The first generation of plant protection products were still very toxic, e.g. some of them contained cyanide. One of the next generation of pesticides was the infamous DDT, which was later banned in developed countries around the world. Pesticide active substances are still banned every yearbecause it turns out to be harmful to people and the environment. Pesticides currently on the market go through an extremely rigorous approval process and are reviewed every ~10 years. However, as science advances, more and more are later found to be harmful to wildlife.

We are also part of nature, so if we destroy our environment, we are harming ourselves and especially future generations! Let's have a greener garden! 🌼

It takes 10-20 years and billions of dollars to develop and market a new pesticide active ingredient. Pesticide manufacturers, seeing the increasing rigour of testing, have moved towards biological products. 

So does this mean that organic pesticides are a new phenomenon? No, chemical-free plant protection has been part of people's lives for a long time, and there are historical examples. The first documented biological pesticide was sulphur ~4,500 years ago by the Sumerians to control insects and mites. Later, an extract of the leaves of the neem tree or margosa (Latin Azadirachta indica) was used to control insects in warehouses.

Interesting facts 🤯

One of the most famous fungicides still used in organic farming is Bordeaux mix, which contains copper and sulphur, and has been helping vine growers for over 100 years.

Growing crops without chemicals - is it possible?

Röviden: Igen! Hosszabban is igen és máris ki is fejtjük nektek! 😁

If we observe a stagnant and "abandoned" ecosystem, such as a forest, rainforest or steppe, the system is functioning and diverse life is flourishing without the use of pesticides.

Why does nature not work by itself...?

1️⃣ Azért, mert azt szeretnénk látni, hogy csak one species have huge fields of, for example, only wheat or maize, and systematically eradicate the other crops. It is a basic tenet of physics that nature tends to maximise entropy, or diversity, because it is the most stable system. If we allow other plants to exist in the wheat field, e.g. intermediate/ companion plants, we would already be one step towards a healthier environment

2️⃣ Nem várjuk meg, hogy a természet beszabályozza magát, hanem we expect an immediate impact. In other words, if an insect pest multiplies, we immediately use the insecticide, whereas if the natural enemies of those insects multiplied there, the problem would solve itself. In fact, aphids, for example, are not a problem for nature because they provide food for many other organisms.

But where can you find it: nothing to worry about! Here is Danuba Garden chemical-free plant protection

What organic products do we have that can help our crops with minimal environmental impact?

Vegyszermentes növényvédelem – 🍄 Trichoderma gomba (Tricho Immun)

Trichoderma fungi have long been used in crop production and are known to have at least three positive effects:

1. Parasitize other fungi, reducing the impact of harmful fungi on the crop
2. They break down organic matter by consuming it themselves and incorporating it into their bodies. In this way, for example, they remove stem residues from harmful Fusarium fungi
3. They produce plant hormones that enhance the growth of the crop. They do this so that the plant's roots will in return add sugar to the soil. 

VIDEO: Tricho ImmunThe 2 strains of fungi in the soil do not work any differently, they just live inside the plant instead of in the soil.

Sprayed on the plant, it germinates and starts to spread within the plant in 2-8 hours. It is recommended to apply as early as possible to allow it to multiply properly in the plant.

These two strains of Trichoderma fungi are active at 5 degrees Celsius, which means that they can be applied even after the winter wash-off spraying to cover and wound wounds.

Vegyszermentes növényvédelem – 🦀 Kitozán (SoftGuard)

Chitin, produced from the chitinase of insects or fungi, is the active substance in SoftGuard product.

In the EU, chitosan is authorised as a bactericide, fungicide and insecticide, but not as a pesticide (basic substance category).

VIDEO: for chitosan also has at least three known positive effects:

1. It increases the plant's defensive capacity. It activates genes that are only used by the plant in the event of an external attack. These substances e.g. phytoalexins, jasmic acid, salicylic acid ... provide a line of defence against bacterial, fungal and insect attack.
2. Sprayed on the wound surfaces, it covers them, makes them invisible. It is also used in the manufacture of human wound dressings.
3. It encourages the plant to produce chitin-degrading enzymes, which is in no way beneficial for fungi and insects. Many insects, sensing this with their receptors, no longer fly to chitosan-treated plants

Vegyszermentes növényvédelem – 🪐 Szilícium (Ino Si)

Silicon is an element in crop production that has only in recent years begun to be better studied.

It also has at least three proven positive effects:

1. When incorporated into the leaf surface, it strengthens and thickens it, making it harder for chewing mouthparts to eat e.g. caterpillars, locusts 
2. They thicken the leaf hairs so that they act as a huge thorn to block the movement of the hyphal phonon of all insects and fungi
3. The incorporated silicon crystals are able to reflect sunlight, cooling the plant by a few degrees and protecting it from harmful UV rays like sunscreen