Table 1.
The list of basic substances approved for use in organic farming in the EU (as of 9 December 2025).
| No. | Name | Type | Application | Year of approval |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) | Plant extract | Fungicide | 01.07.2014 |
| 2 | Chitosan | Biopolymer (natural origin) | Plant elicitor, stimulator of resistance to pathogenic fungi and bacteria | 11.04.2022 |
| 3 | Chitosan hydrochloride | Linear polysaccharide consisting of D-glucosa-mine and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, | Elicitor with fungicidal and bactericidal properties through stimulation of natural plant defence mechanisms | 01.07.2014 |
| 4 | Sucrose | Organic compound (table sugar – disaccharide) | Elicitor – stimulation of natural plant defence mechanisms | 01.01.2015 |
| 5 | Fructose | Organic compound (fruit sugar – monosaccharide) | Elicitor – stimulation of natural plant defence mechanisms | 01.10.2015 |
| 6 | Calcium hydroxide (slaked lime) in the form of a suspension with a concentration of 24–33.12% | Inorganic compound | Fungicide | 01.07.2015 |
| 7 | Aluminium-coated activated carbon | Organic compound | Protective agent against root pathogens | 31.03.2017 |
| 8 | Wine vinegar | Organic acid | Fungicide, bactericide (treating and disinfecting) | 01.07.2015 |
| 9 | Lecithins | Phospholipids, natural emulsifiers (natural carriers) | Fungicide | 01.07.2015 |
| 10 | Willow bark (Salix spp.) | Plant extract | Fungicide | 01.07.2015 |
| 11 | Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) | Inorganic compound | Fungicide, moss and liverwort control | 08.12.2015 |
| 12 | Magnesium hydroxide E528 | Inorganic compound | Fungicide | 02.04.2024 |
| 13 | Whey | By-product of cheese or cow's milk casein production | Fungicide | 02.05.2016 |
| 14 | Talc E553b | Silica mineral | Insect and fungus repellent | 28.05.2018 |
| 15 | Sunflower oil | Vegetable oil | Fungicide | 02.12.2016 |
| 16 | Nettle extract (Urtica spp.) | Plant extract | Insecticide, acaricide, fungicide | 30.03.2017 |
| 17 | Hydrogen peroxide | Inorganic compound | Disinfection, fungicidal and bactericidal action | 29.03.2017 |
| 18 | Sodium chloride (sea salt, table salt) | Mineral | Fungicide, insecticide | 28.09.2017 |
| 19 | Beer | Food product | Molluscicide | 05.12.2017 |
| 20 | Mustard seed powder (Brassica alba, B. juncea, B. nigra) | Plant extract | Fungicide (seed treatment) | 04.12.2017 |
| 21 | Onion oil (Allium cepa) | Vegetable oil | Repellent (masking the smell of the protected plant) | 17.10.2018 |
| 22 | L-Cysteine | Amino acid | Insecticide (Formicide) | 02.06.2020 |
| 23 | Cow's milk | Food product | Fungicidal and virucidal action | 30.07.2020 |
| 24 | Onion extract (Allium cepa) | Plant extract | Fungicide | 17.02.2021 |
| 25 | Welsh onion extract (Allium fistulosum) | Plant extract | Bactericide | 01.12.2024 |
| 26 | Ammonium hydrogen phosphate | Mineral compound | Attractant | 29.04.2016 |
| 27 | Dried pellets from sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) | Organic product (pellets) | Nematocide | 23.05.2024 |
| 28 | Grape seed extract (Vitis vinifera) | Seed extract | Fungicide | 11.02.2025 |
[i] Source: Search Active substances, safeners and synergists (https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/pesticides/eu-pesticides-database/start/screen/active-substances), Substancje podstawowe (https://rolnictwo-ekologiczne.ior.poznan.pl/substancje-podstawowe)
Table 2.
Basic substances with the potential for independent preparation of formulations.
| Substance (UE status) | Main effect | Typical application | Example of a standalone preparation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinegar | pH reduction, phytotoxic effect on young weeds, reduction of certain pathogens | minor weed infestation, algae, mosses | aqueous vinegar solution of a specific concentration for spot spraying of weeds |
| Sodium bicarbonate | fungistatic effect (change in pH on the leaf surface) | powdery mildew and downy mildew in orchards, vegetables | soda solution with the addition of a wetting agent (e.g. potassium soap) |
| Sodium chloride | osmotic, disinfectant | limited applications, e.g. surface disinfection, some soil pathogens | solution for disinfecting tools, infrastructure elements (caution due to phytotoxicity!) |
| Calcium hydroxide | disinfectant, pH increase | trunk whitewashing, disinfection | classic “lime milk” for white-washing tree trunks |
| Equisetum arvense (horsetail) | strengthening effect, silica, reduction of fungal diseases | prevention of fungal diseases, including powdery mildew | horsetail decoctions/extracts applied to leaves |
| Urtica spp. (nettle) | stimulating, repellent, partially fungistatic effect | aphids, mites, plant strengthening | liquid manure/nettle extract for spraying and/or watering |
| Salix spp. cortex (willow bark) | salicylic acid – immunity induction, slight fungistatic effect | strengthening immunity, reducing seedling diseases | bark extract, applied to the soil or foliage |
| Whey | proteins and lactose – unfavourable environment for some pathogenic fungi | powdery mildew, leaf diseases | diluted whey as a spray |
| Chitosan hydrochloride | immunity inducer, antifungal and antibacterial action, antiviral in some cases | numerous fungal diseases, viruses | chitosan solution as recommended (more often in the form of ready-made preparations) |