Crop protection

Sustainable crop protection

In our research, we have discovered that multiple molecules from nature can have a strong positive effect on plant health and controlling diseases. The increased awareness on a healthy food production, lifestyle and environment leads to an innovative, safer and sustainable food supply with lesser and customized amounts of fertilizers and pesticides. In minimizing the environmental impact, we are providing our customers with integrated solutions that substantially lower the impact on human health and the environment. These innovative solutions contribute to a highly sustainable and responsible plant care and healthy food production. Besides the use in agriculture and horticulture there is a growing demand in greenkeeping, amenity and home and garden.

We are aiming to build a bridge between 1) EU-legislation that aim to minimize negative externalities orginating from the use of fungicides, and 2) farmers that have a need for reliable, effective crop solutions. Farmers throughout Europe need to be guaranteed sustainable profitability to be able to continue their professions and keep contributing to the global need for food production.

Gahrda product range

Our Gahrda-product range for healthy plants is fully tested and proven for their effectiveness ensuring performance and revenue backed by official approvals and registrations in Europe. Using the strength of nature, our products assist in protecting crops, fields and gardens with natural products, harvested from the sea and land. Our current products within the Gahrda range consist of Gahrda Chitis and Gahrda LCT20. A short introduction on these products is given below. Our research program throughout Europe is researching many crops as sugarbeet, cereal, grapevine, vegetables, potato, flowerbulb and fruit crops in experiments and field trials conducted by several research institutes.

Gahrda Chitis

Our Gahrda Chitis is based on a crustacean single source, high quality and exclusive Chitosan hydrochloride. This has been thoroughly tested against a wide range of fungi on large scale arable an horticultural crops. Gahrda Chitis is approved as basic substance* according Article 23 of EC1107/2009. Gahrda Chitis has demonstrated to be an effective preventive product fitting into an integrated crop management system. This results in minimizing chemistry in conventional farming and less cupper dependency in organic farming. The strong eliciting effect on plants stimulates the plant self defence by which pathogenic infections are prevented.

Gahrda LCT20

Our Gahrda LCT20 is based on a high-purity lecithin derived from a single botanical source. This natural phospholipid has shown strong membrane-disrupting activity against a wide range of fungal pathogens in both arable and horticultural crops. Gahrda LCT20 is approved as a basic substance under Article 23 of EC 1107/2009. Having strong emulsifying properties and a fungicidal working mechanism, Gahrda LCT20 integrates seamlessly into sustainable crop management strategies, reducing the need for conventional chemistry. In organic systems, it supports copper reduction programmes by offering a reliable, natural alternative.

Basic substances

At Cercam, we have chosen to develop our crop treatment solutions as basic substances rather than conventional biofungicides registered under the Plant Protection Products (PPP) regulation. This strategic decision reflects our commitment to transparency, safety, and regulatory sustainability. Basic substances are approved by the European Commission under Article 23 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, recognizing materials with a favorable safety profile and proven plant protection function, yet originally intended for non-plant protection uses (e.g., food or feed). By working within this framework, our products can be used in both conventional and organic farming, without the burden of residue limits or pre-harvest intervals, ensuring maximum flexibility for growers. This approach also allows for faster market access and simplified compliance while maintaining full scientific validation of efficacy and safety. Rather than competing with synthetic fungicides, our Basic Substances—such as chitosan and lecithin—offer a natural, multi-functional mode of action, enhancing plant defense and resilience in a sustainable way.

Basic substances are not predominantly used as plant protection products but which may be of value for plant protection and for which the economic interest of applying for approval may be limited” according to Article 23 of EC1107/2009. Basic substances as Chitosan hydrochloride are important in organic farming and play a major part in the transition of conventional farming using more sustainable solutions.

Although the result of this choice is that we cannot claim market protection, our products cannot be imitated. There is an unlimited number of variations of the molecules that we base our products on. In terms of quality and origin, purity, viscosity, molecular weight, the number of chains of a polysacharide, just to name a few. There are infinite variations, and each one differs significantly from another. Hence, it cannot be assumed that a different molecule has the same efficacy, or the same mixability with conventional fungicides. Our products are unique, and so are we.

By choosing this regulatory route, we embrace transparency, safety, and flexibility instead of patent-driven exclusivity. Basic substances allow us to focus on innovation through formulation, field performance, and scientific differentiation rather than legal protection alone. This gives growers access to trusted, natural alternatives while allowing us to continuously refine and improve our products without regulatory barriers that slow down innovation.

Our basic substances are regarded as crop protection products which are regulated by EFSA as part of the Plant Protection Regulation (EU 1107/2009); our biostimulants belong to the new European Fertilizer Regulation (2022).

Gahrda LCT20 is our pure and high quality lecithin, and it is made from sunflowers. Lecithin is a natural component, and represents a generic term of phospholipids that occur in animal and plant tissues.

Go to Product

Gahrda Chitis is a special selected chitosan hydrochloride diverted from one special type of shrimp. Gahrda Chitis is globally the only chitosan produced from a single source of wild shrimp caught under the exclusive sustainable ecolabel of Marine Steward Council (MSC).

Go to Product