Transformation of CROP HEALTH
Welcome back after what I hope has been a wonderful holiday. The year 2026 will undoubtedly also be an exciting one with new challenges ahead. Fortunately, the institute stands on a strong foundation of skilled, proactive, and hard working staff. The institute has experienced significant growth in recent years, and the same is true for the CROP HEALTH section.
In the past, the section had extensive activities, including the testing of various pesticides in field trials and greenhouses, along with related research projects. We carried out many field experiments and were busy during the growing season with numerous Danish and international visitors. We still have plenty of field activity and interesting guests, but the focus of our projects has shifted in recent years. The challenges are essentially the same – how do we control weeds and diseases in our agricultural and horticultural crops? The difference is the increasing pressure on the use of chemical pesticides, which last year resulted in the phasing out of six active ingredients, corresponding to 33 products, by the end of November 2026. This is a major challenge for agriculture, and it is one we must help to address.
In CROP HEALTH, we are therefore working purposefully with various alternatives for fully or partially pesticide‑free crop production. This represents a transformation of the section, made possible by hiring new and highly skilled colleagues with a wide range of competencies. The interaction between experienced staff and new colleagues brings a completely different dynamic and gives the section a new direction. As a result, we are now exploring several non-chemical options for the control of weeds and diseases. We are looking into the use of biological control agents, plant‑derived compounds that suppress weeds, mechanical weed control, spot spraying—including with non‑chemical products—cover crop choices that inhibit weed growth, image recognition of weeds and diseases, and the categorisation of weeds into two groups so that only problematic species are controlled while others contribute to increased biodiversity. CROP HEALTH has therefore developed a much more diverse research profile.
A natural question, however, is whether we can succeed in solving agriculture’s weed and disease challenges before the last herbicides and fungicides disappear. We remain optimistic, not least because we already know that more colleagues will be joining us this year. This will further strengthen the successful transformation of CROP HEALTH.