Crop Protection

Pesticides

Pesticides have been used in agriculture for a long time and still play a vital role in feeding the world. However, continuous research and developing regulations keep changing the landscape of use and accessibility. In this changing environment staying compliant in order to maintain your portfolio is a challenge.

Biocontrol Agents

For the last decades, there has been a growing need for more sustainable use of our environmental resources. This, together with an ever-increasing global population, has prompted the development of environmentally friendly but yet efficient control agents to complement the use of large amounts of conventional plant protection products.

Biocontrol agents, also known as biopesticides, biologicals, biological pesticides, natural pesticides or biochemical pesticides, can be either based on ‘microbials’ such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and viroids or on macroorganisms ('macrobials'). Besides, biochemically active extracts from microorganisms and plants ('botanicals') and pheromones or other semiochemicals are included in the category of biocontrol agents. Other natural products such as hormones, minerals, enzymes, peptides and nucleic acids can also act as active substance in plant protection products. Depending on the national context of the legislative framework, these active substances can be directly marketed as biocontrol agents or conventional pesticides. However, they can also be used in biostimulants and biocides.

As diverse as their name, as diverse is their regulation: no globally harmonized data requirements and regulations exist for biocontrol agents used for plant protection. However, risk assessments for human health and environment have to be performed for the approval of biocontrol agents practically everywhere in the world.

Our biocontrol core team, consisting of microbialists, (bio)chemists, molecular biologists and horticultural scientists, has vast experience in supporting the registration and renewal of a large number of biocontrol active substances and products. Amongst others, they have been working on projects for products containing

»Trichoderma spp. »Metarhizium spp. »Akanthomyces spp. »Metschnikowia spp. »Streptomyces spp. »Pseudomonas spp.

»Bacillus thuringiensis »Bacillus subtilis »Baculoviruses

Through our broad global scientific network, we facilitate the contact between you, the client, and leading contract research organisations to help you solve technical problems and we advise you on the most appropriate regulatory approaches for your products. Regardless of whether you are looking for support in Europe, Asia, the Americas or anywhere else.

For further information on our services, check the general solutions overview below and our fact sheet on biocontrol or send us an email.

our solutions for you

Knowing your regulatory environment is essential to stay in the market: with a global network of affiliates, knoell keeps track of the developments concerning global regulations. Read more about our strategic and regulatory consulting solutions.

Registration Management

Task Force management
Communication with authorities
Support with data sharing and Letter of Access (LoA) negotiations
In-country registration support by locally based knoell employees or our trusted partners
Coordination of the entire authorisation process
Portfolio management

Document Preparation

Dossier preparation and compilation (active substance and products, CODEX/JMPR, MRL, Import Tolerances), also in electronic format as required (e.g. CADDY, IUCLID for Crop Protection)
Study summaries (OECD format)
Post-submission commenting, expert statements
Label amendments and notifications
Application and submission forms
Import tolerance petitions
State registrations

Read more about our submission support services.

With a team of about 40 toxicologist, more than 70 environmental fate and modelling experts as well as approx. 45 ecotoxicologists your assessments are in competent hands.

(Preliminary) environmental and ecotoxicological exposure and risk assessments. Standard and higher tier approaches
Human health. Human exposure (e.g. operator and bystander), dietary safety, metabolism and residues
Animal dietary burden assessment
Risk assessments using computer based (in silico) methods
Endocrine Disruptor (ED) assessments

For a more detailed overview of hazard, risk and exposure assessments have a look here.

Data gap analysis
Check of completeness (CoC)
Technical equivalence, identity and physical-chemical parameter determination
Evaluation of analytical methods
(Preliminary) risk and exposure assessments
GAP (Good Agricultural Practice) scoping
Literature search and evaluation
Environmental fate of active substances and their metabolites. Study management & monitoring, kinetic evaluations
Efficacy evaluation for conventional agrochemicals and biocontrol agents. Study management & monitoring, comparative assessment (EPPO 1/271) for Plant Protection Products containing candidates for substitution active substances (CfS), resistance risk analysis and management strategies (EPPO 1/213), development of strategies for Integrated Pest Management (IPM), "agronomic equivalence" evaluation (evaluation of genetically-modified plants (GMOs) in comparison to conventional varieties)
Import tolerance services