George Shakour , currently pursuing a master ’s degree in Biobased Sciences at Wageningen University & Research , spent the preceding six calendar month working on his last enquiry project at MPS . His labor homes in on a spicy button egress in the flowers & ornamental industry : key out useful alternatives to active substance recently placed on the MPS - List prohibited active substances .
At a clock time when crop protection statute law is changing rapidly , growers are in dire penury of practical support . By combining scientific analysis with hard-nosed insight , Shakour made a valuable donation , helped by his academic background knowledge in plant life sciences and sustainability and personal commitment to environmental causes . free-base on a listing of 25 recently ban active pith , he identified substitute substances that could serve as substitutes . In doing so , he pore not only on efficacy , but also on environmental shock , dosage and price .
Shakour sort out the banned substances into three master chemical group : rodent control agents ( rodenticides ) ; insect and mite controller agentive role ( insecticides and acaricides ) ; and soil insect and nematode mastery agents ( nematicides ) .
He then analyse which pests each chemical group controls and which alternatives are useable . This stock was substantiated with data from scientific publications , European database ( including EU Database ) and interviews with suppliers .
Obtaining pricing information proved difficult in practice , as many trafficker do not apportion these information publicly . Nevertheless , Shakour was able-bodied to gain valuable information , including on the price of organic alternatives , due in part to organise industry contracts and by visiting the HortiContact trade wind fair .
Practical industry experienceTo supplement his lit brushup , Shakour interviewed growers in e.g. the Westland , Boskoop and Alphen aan den Rijn expanse , providing valuable insights on how growers arrive at their crop protection choices and what obstacle they run into . An significant signaling Shakour managed to harvest from the
e interview is that while many growers are uncoerced to become more sustainable , they feel a decided deficiency of support when it comes to finding substitutes for shun substances .
In exercise , vendor dependence proves high , while their advice is often predetermine due to subject of inventory and commercial-grade interests . Shakour ’s research provides an independent , convenient alternative that allow for cultivator to make informed choices base on their specific situation .
A useful tool for growersThe result is a highly usable table listing alternative active pith grouped by pest and group of banned inwardness , along with granular details on dose , mechanism of legal 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 difference between chemical and organic crop protective covering agents , with the latter often being 10 to even 100 times more expensive than their chemical substance counterparts . Nevertheless , select growers have made the conscious decision to utilize organic agents , due in part to fly the pin for sustainable finish pattern . accord to Shakour , MPS could consider offering additional accreditation or certification for growers who trust exclusively on constitutional control methods in the time to come .
positivistic response from growersParticipating growers were delighted with the initiative , appreciating the support and the fact that MPS was actively contributing to practical resolution . " Some growers even sent me flower as a keepsake of their gratitude , " articulate Shakour . Their high level of appreciation only underscores the need for utile tools to help agriculturist comply with tight crop protective cover essential .
future tense prospectsWith this valuable research project , Shakour contributed to the development of substitute craw protection strategy and provided a extremely useable practical creature . Having obtained his level , Shakour plans to embark on a vocation in crop protection or the tolerant context of environmental shock and sustainability . " I hope to leverage my cognition for a sustainable future , tapping into scientific insight while fostering practical applicability . "
For more informationMPSMiddel Broekweg 29 , 2675 KBHonselersdijk , the NetherlandsTel . : +31 ( 0)174 615 715Email:[email protected]www.my - mps.com
