Challenges and opportunities for biological control of pests in greenhouses in Europe

Abstract: The uptake of biological control by greenhouse growers has continued to grow over
the past decade at a CAGR of more than 15 %. Major drivers are pesticide resistance, removal
of key pesticides from the market, continued consumer pressure, regulatory pressure on
reducing pesticide usage, further uptake of biocontrol in ornamentals and berries, medicinal
cannabis, development of new biological control agents, etc. Meanwhile a global consolidation of the biocontrol industry is taking place. More recently however, the economic crisis due to the war in Ukraine and the effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the collapse of the medicinal cannabis market, have been temporarily slowing down the growth of the biocontrol industry.