Phytosanitary product: what is it?

Etymologically, a phytosanitary product is a product intended to guarantee the good health of plants. In practice, the expression refers to the idea of chemical products employees :

• to prevent attacks by harmful organisms and thus protect plants;
• for their action on the vital processes of plants and in particular on their growth;
• to prevent growth or even destroy undesirable plants.

There are natural phytosanitary products, used since Antiquity: sulfurthe copperthe fluorine or even the nicotine. But there are also synthetic plant protection products. They are made from phosphorusof chlorine or derivatives of benzene. Their authorization of use is limited to a precise use on the basis of their efficiency, but also the risks they pose to people or the environment. Since 1^er January 2019, it is also prohibited for non-professional users.

Note that we often use the term pesticide instead of that of phytosanitary product or vice versa. But if all phytopharmaceutical products are pesticides, there are pesticides that do not fall into the category of phytosanitary products: those called biocides.

Many different phytosanitary products

There are several main categories of phytosanitary products:

• the herbicides are intended to combat the weeds » ;
• fungicides are used to combat diseases caused by mushrooms or by filamentous organisms parasites ;
• the insecticides target insect pests.

There is a whole series of other phytosanitary products such as molluscicides, rodenticides or taupicides which make it possible to combat an undesirable in a targeted manner.

In general, a phytopharmaceutical product consists of two main elements: a active substance – or more for that matter – and a co-formulant. The latter is intended to facilitate the handling of the active substance, to reinforce its effectiveness and to secure its use.

For some time now, we have observed the appearance ofresistance to phytosanitary productswhen rare individuals survive the treatment and then proliferate.