A completely natural pesticide which spares honey bees has been granted approval by the European Union.
Three natural oils – rose, clove and thyme – combined together tackle a destructive fungus called botrytis (“bunch rot”).
The fungus strikes fruit and vegetables causing mould. Every year the fungus can destroy a significant portion of crops, which in the UK is believed to cost agriculture some €10bn annually.
The pesticide can be applied right up to the point where the fruit is picked, which is of particular benefit to wine growers as grapes improve the longer they are left on the vine.
EU guidelines prohibit the use of chemical pesticides from three weeks before harvest in order to limit the chemical impact on humans.
And some of the pesticides used to fight botrytis have been banned in the EU in order to protect honey bee populations.
The new pesticide was developed by scientists based in Oxford at Eden Research who have been working on it for some eight years.
Now the pesticide is likely to be on the market within four months for the wine-growing areas of southern Europe.
The formula, known as 3AEY or Mevalone, contains the natural oils in a yeast pellet formula.
