Chapter 1

Question 1

What is a pesticide?

Answer 1

• A pesticide is something that prevents, destroys, or controls a harmful organism (‘pest’) or disease
• or protects plants or plant products during production, storage and transport.

Question 2

What is an active substance?

Answer 2

• Any chemical, plant extract, pheromone or microorganism (including viruses), that has action against pests or on plants, parts of plants or plant products.
• Before an active substance can be used within a plant protection product in the EU, it must be approved by the European Commission.

Question 3

What is a plant protection product?

Answer 3

• Plant protection products are ‘pesticides’ that protect crops or desirable or useful plants.
• They are primarily used in the agricultural sector but also in forestry, horticulture, amenity areas and in home gardens.
• They contain at least one active substance and have one of the following functions:

1. protect plants or plant products against pests/diseases before or after harvest
2. influence the life processes of plants (such as substances influencing their growth, excluding nutrients)
3. preserve plant products
4. destroy or prevent growth of undesired plants or parts of plants.“

Question 4

What is a plant protection product formulation?

Answer 4

• A homogeneous and stable mixture of active and inert ingredients which make the final product simpler, safer, and more efficacious to apply to a target pest.

The inert ingredients may involve:

1. The carrier (e.g. organic solvent or mineral clay)
2. Surface active ingredients (e.g. stickers or spreaders)
3. Other ingredients, such as stabilizers, dyes and chemicals that improve or enhance the activity of the plant protection product