24 May 2021
This is the second part of our two-part blog series on the rapidly growing field of seed treatments. You can view Part One: The Fundamentals here.
Regulatory challenges for seed treatments
Despite the clear benefits which were outlined in the first part of the blog, seed treatments are not without their sceptics. Seed treatment products are going through a heavy re-evaluation period, particularly in the European Union, where the industry is facing the tightening of regulation around pesticide use and active ingredient content. Increasing focus has been directed towards the environmental concerns over the use of chemical seed treatments. Many conventional seed treatments contain active ingredients that are coming under regulatory pressure and a growing number have been banned in recent years. Some key examples of recently banned chemistry being clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiacloprid due to the risk they pose to pollinators.
The table below demonstrates the stark regulatory situation for all crop protection active ingredients in the EU. Fewer than half of all registered active ingredients were either renewed or classed as low risk between 2017 and the end of 2020.
No. of Active Ingredients in the EU
|
Risk Category/Regulatory Status between 2017-2020
|
| 101 |
Not renewed |
| 26 |
Very High Risk: Very likely not to be renewed and renewal may not be supported by the approval holder. |
| 79 |
High Risk: Significant risk of non-renewal or has been renewed with some restrictions on use (such as greenhouse use only). |
| 62 |
Medium Risk: Available information indicates that there are some issues to be resolved for the active to be renewed. |
| 180 |
Low Risk: Available information indicates no known issues that may affect the renewal of the active. |
| 40 |
Approved |
| 44 |
Renewed |
| 16 |
Renewed with restrictions |
Source: Audax, January 2021.
A number of neonicotinoid seed treatments used for control of Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle (CSFB) were banned in 2013 because of risks posed to bees. The loss of this seed treatment in the UK meant up to 11% crop area lost to CSFB in some areas as there were no available alternatives. Subsequently, the total sown area of crops in question falls because the risk associated with growing it becomes too high. In 2020 it was reported that the planted area of oilseed rape was its lowest since 2002 and down by 38% against the 5-year average, partly because of the “uncontrollable decimation by CSFB”.
The solution – the growth of biological seed treatments
With more conventional seed treatments likely to be banned by regulators over the coming years, farmers are having to turn elsewhere for effective products to protect their seeds. This is where biological seed treatments come in. Demand for biological seed treatment formulations, with improved environmental profiles and which provide treatment options on par with, or superior to conventional products has risen in recent years. Currently, biological seed treatments account for around 16% of the seed treatment market and are projected to experience strong growth during the forecast period from 2018 to 2025. This growth is directly caused by rising consumer awareness of pesticide use and increasingly stringent regulation of conventional seed treatments.
Where does Eden fit in?
With regulators clamping down on conventional seed treatments due to environmental sustainability factors, the industry is evolving and demand for sustainable solutions is unprecedented. Eden’s focus on crop protection products which are derived from plants and are safe for non-target organisms stands it in good stead to benefit from the drive for sustainable solutions in seed treatments and indeed, crop protection in general. Eden’s active ingredients are exempt from maximum residue limits and allowed as inputs for organic agriculture in the EU.
Eden’s formulations are also polymer free and do not contribute to microplastic pollution in the soil. Currently, the Seed Applied Technologies Committee is closely following the ongoing discussion on microplastics in seed treatments, and Eden’s microplastic free encapsulation technology renders its products immune from such potential regulatory changes and places it at the heart of a rapidly growing market.
The recently signed exclusive Commercialisation, Supply and Distribution Agreement with Corteva Agriscience is a key milestone in the development of Eden’s seed treatment formulations. The resulting product will enhance the existing Eden portfolio and open up an entirely new sector of the crop protection market.
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