The role of basic substances in organic farming: Scientific and market perspectives

Basic substances are natural products that can be used in agriculture without meeting the full registration requirements for plant protection products. These substance include plant extracts (e.g. garlic or nettle, horsetail or willow bark), natural oils (e.g. onion, sunflower), food processing by-products (e.g. wine vinegar or whey) and minerals and chemical compounds found in the environment (e.g. baking soda, talc, and sodium chloride). In plant protection, their role is primarily to support the natural defense mechanisms of crops. The main objective of the study was to analyze the market for basic substances and their potential applications in organic agriculture. This review examines the role of basic substances in the overall crop protection market and the factors shaping the development of this market segment. It also presents examples of basic substances from different groups, their mechanisms of action, and applications. It explains why organic farming is an area where the use of basic substances is most effective. It also presents examples of research results regarding the use of these substances in agriculture. The review shows that basic substances are a safe, cheap and EU-compliant plant protection tool, but now their use is limited to niche areas, such as organic farming, and the future of this market sector depends on marketing and information activities.