Use of biological control agents in greenhouse horticulture

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Biological, control Crops Biological control Area size with deployment of macrobials Area size with deployment of macrobials (ha) Biological control Area size with deployment of macrobials Area size with deployment of macrobials (%) Deployed macrobiological control agents (1000 pieces) Deployed biological control agents per Crop area (1000 pieces/ha) Deployed biological control agents per Area with biological control agents (1000 pieces/ha)
A Predatory mite and trips total Total crops/cultivation sectors 5,872 83.6 74,287,591 10,575 12,651
Strawberries, under glass 579 96.1 4,542,372 7,542 7,847
Foliage plants under glass 457 76.2 7,650,704 12,775 16,759
Chrysantinum under glass 469 96.2 27,526,703 56,503 58,748
Gerberas under glass 163 100.0 6,660,420 40,975 40,975
Cucumbers 626 100.0 5,684,383 9,078 9,082
Peppers (total) 1,515 99.0 3,464,481 2,264 2,286
Pot plants for flowering 777 68.0 9,434,345 8,258 12,136
Roses under glass 147 98.5 9,272,028 62,137 63,109
Tomatoes (total) 1,140 66.1 52,155 30 46
A99 Predatory mite and trips, others Total crops/cultivation sectors 404 5.7 799,978 114 1,982
Strawberries, under glass 53 8.8 123,761 205 2,347
Foliage plants under glass 46 7.7 386,469 645 8,362
Chrysantinum under glass . . . . .
Gerberas under glass 35 21.3 153 1 4
Cucumbers 29 4.6 93,180 149 3,225
Peppers (total) 129 8.4 9,376 6 73
Pot plants for flowering 99 8.7 186,952 164 1,880
Roses under glass . . . . .
Tomatoes (total) 0 0.0 0 0 0
B Parasitoid wasp and gall midge total Total crops/cultivation sectors 5,381 76.6 2,380,989 339 442
Strawberries, under glass 309 51.2 57,742 96 187
Foliage plants under glass 266 44.4 127,868 214 480
Chrysantinum under glass 398 81.8 43,249 89 109
Gerberas under glass 163 100.0 407,956 2,510 2,510
Cucumbers 485 77.4 139,630 223 288
Peppers (total) 1,495 97.7 330,002 216 221
Pot plants for flowering 509 44.5 154,049 135 303
Roses under glass 125 83.8 38,886 261 311
Tomatoes (total) 1,632 94.6 1,081,608 627 663
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table contains data on the use of biological control agents in horticultural crops under cover. Except about the number of companies which apply biological control agents and the corresponding area, the table gives information about the number of macrobial organisms, as a total and per group of organisms and per ha. A selection can be made by crop.
Microbial pesticides (like bacteria, fungi) are not is this table because they are plant protection products.

Data available from: 2012

Status of the figures:
The figures of 2012, 2016 and 2020 are final, the figures of 2024 are provisional.

Changes as of 12 February 2026:
Provisional figures of 2024 have been added.
Data on the number of agents of nematodes in 2020 have been deleted. In 2024 methodological improvements have been introduced that could not be applied to the 2020 data. Therefore data on number of nematodes in 2020 are not shown.

When will new figures be published?
Final figures of 2024 will become available in the fourt quarter of December 2026.

Description topics

Biological control
Biological control implies the deployment of purchased biological control agents for prevention and control of plagues. A biological control agent is a natural enemy of a plague. The agent is an invertebrate macrobial
Area size with deployment of macrobials
Size of area with deployment of macrobiological control agents.
Area size with deployment of macrobials
Size of area with deployment of macrobiological control agents.
Area size with deployment of macrobials
Size of area with deployment of macrobiological control agents, as percentage of the size area of the crop. In case of 100% each hectare of the crop is treated with at least one macrobial.
Deployed macrobiological control agents
The number of deployed macrobiological control agents against plagues. Numbers of macrobials from bankerplants are not included. Numbers of macrobials from sachets with guaranteed outflow are included. Nutrition for predators is not included. Notice that the number of nematodes is very large and therefore a total is only provided for the level of biological groups or macrobial organism.
Deployed biological control agents per
Numbers of deployed, purchased, macrobial control agents against plagues. Per hectare. Growth of the population during crop growth is neglected.
Crop area
Numbers of deployed, purchased, macrobial control agents against plagues. Per hectare of a crop. This number depends also on the number of cultivations of the crop.
Area with biological control agents
Numbers of deployed, purchased, macrobial control agents against plagues. Per hectare of a crop with deployment of at least one macrobial. This number depends also on the number of cultivations of the crop.