The European Biostimulant Industry Council defines biostimulants: “Biostimulants for crops contain substances or microorganisms that are applied to crops or the rhizosphere and whose function is to stimulate the natural processes that encourage nutrient absorption and efficiency, boost tolerance of abiotic stress and improve crop quality.”

Biostimulants are not a replacement for crop fertilisation and/or protection. Nor does their use merely guarantee greater yields and better quality crops.

HOWEVER, biostimulants have a beneficial effect on plants and their development, particularly if crops are being grown under suboptimal conditions and in stressful situations. This has been proven in many scientific investigations, studies and exact and practical tests.

The product group of biostimulants is the generic term for a new and complementary category of resources. Although they are neither plant protection products nor fertilisers, they are subject to the EU’s Fertilising Products Regulation (2019/1009). Biostimulants are specifically excluded from the scope of the Plant Protection Product Regulation (EC 1107/2009) since their way of working is different to that of standard plant protection products.

Under the new EU Fertilising Products Regulation (2019/1009), biostimulants have been uniformly and legally defined for the first time. Since the regulation came into force in July 2022, biostimulants have been able to be sold throughout Europe as independent fertiliser products.

boncrop products fulfil the conditions for biostimulants:

• boncrop is of biological origin and consists of organic matter
• bonrop biostimulants have a stimulating effect on crops with regard to their development, growth and stress resistance - as shown by exact trials with boncrop, among others
• boncrop biostimulants are a cornerstone of integrated crop production
• boncrop is an algae preparation. In addition to alginic acid, boncrop solid also contains the micronutrients boron and zinc and the microorganism Trichoderma. boncrop flow contains alginic acid, plant amino acid and humic acid.
• boncrop biostiumlants are subject to the EU Fertilising Products Regulation (2019/1009) and belongs to the new product category (PFC) 6 - plant biostimulant.