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)
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
B99 Parasitoid wasp, gall midge, others Total crops/cultivation sectors 2,140 30.5 948,781 135 443
Strawberries, under glass 173 28.8 6,775 11 39
Foliage plants under glass 120 20.0 86,271 144 721
Chrysantinum under glass 138 28.3 14,616 30 106
Gerberas under glass 84 51.4 280,982 1,729 3,364
Cucumbers 148 23.7 39,282 63 265
Peppers (total) 779 50.9 108,231 71 139
Pot plants for flowering 221 19.3 102,616 90 465
Roses under glass 50 33.5 19,502 131 390
Tomatoes (total) 427 24.8 290,505 168 680
C99 Pred.bug,beetle, lacew, hover, other Total crops/cultivation sectors 2,286 32.5 183,870 26 80
Strawberries, under glass 177 29.3 4,114 7 23
Foliage plants under glass 232 38.7 14,144 24 61
Chrysantinum under glass 92 18.9 56,837 117 617
Gerberas under glass 105 64.8 1,876 12 18
Cucumbers 43 6.9 500 1 12
Peppers (total) 1,177 76.9 13,987 9 12
Pot plants for flowering 318 27.8 73,212 64 231
Roses under glass 108 72.5 16,775 112 155
Tomatoes (total) . . . . .
D99 Nematode, others Total crops/cultivation sectors 103 1.5 266,907,061 37,996 2,597,508
Strawberries, under glass . . . . .
Foliage plants under glass 29 4.8 9,924,225 16,571 343,303
Chrysantinum under glass . . . . .
Gerberas under glass 0 0.0 0 0 0
Cucumbers 0 0.0 0 0 0
Peppers (total) 0 0.0 0 0 0
Pot plants for flowering 52 4.6 239,668,704 209,790 4,592,256
Roses under glass 0 0.0 0 0 0
Tomatoes (total) 0 0.0 0 0 0
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.