Plant protection records: required fields from EPPO to georeference
Which details a plant protection record must contain since 2026 – EPPO code, BBCH stage, georeference and more, with examples from arable farming and horticulture.
Key points
- Mandatory are user, type of use, date, product with authorisation number, quantity applied, field with georeference and size, and crop with EPPO code.
- BBCH stage and time are mandatory where the authorisation requires them, for example with time restrictions.
- Each treated crop is a separate entry; with staggered plantings, each planting date.
- The indication, i.e. the target pest or disease, is not mandatory according to the guidance of the federal states, but recommended.
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Since 1 January 2026, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/564 requires more details in plant protection records than before. From 2027 the electronic form is added (see Electronic plant protection records from 2027). This article goes through the required details one by one and shows with examples what they look like in daily practice on German farms.
Required details at a glance
| Detail | Mandatory | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Name of the person applying | yes | Jana Petersen |
| Type of use | yes | field, greenhouse, storage, seed or planting material treatment |
| Date | yes | 12 May 2026 |
| Start time | where the application is time-restricted | 19:30 with a bee protection condition |
| Product and authorisation number | yes | trade name and the number from the BVL register |
| Quantity | yes, actually applied | 1.2 l on 1.5 ha |
| Field: name, georeference, size | yes | "Am Mühlenweg", FLIK, 1.5 ha treated |
| Crop with EPPO code | yes | winter wheat, TRZAW |
| BBCH stage | where the authorisation requires it | BBCH 32 |
| Treated seed or planting material and batch | for seed treatment | seed potatoes, batch 24-117 |
| Indication / target organism | not mandatory, recommended | Septoria leaf blotch |
The details follow the guidance of the Chamber of Agriculture North Rhine-Westphalia, the Hesse State Agricultural Agency and the Plant Protection Service Lower Saxony.
User and type of use
The record must name the person who applied the product, not just the farm. For contractors, it names the person who carried out the work. The type of use distinguishes the field, enclosed spaces such as greenhouses, applications in storage, and the treatment of seed or planting material.
Product, authorisation number and quantity
The product is recorded with its trade name and authorisation number. The number is listed in the register of plant protection products of the German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) and on the packaging. With tank mixes, each product belongs in the record with its own number and quantity.
The quantity is the amount actually applied, not the maximum authorised rate. It is practical to record the total quantity with the treated area and calculate the rate per hectare from it to compare with the authorisation.
Field and georeference
The field needs a name, a georeference and the treated area.
- Arable and grassland: farms with a CAP application use their IACS identifier, in most German states the FLIK.
- Horticulture and greenhouses: according to the Chamber of Agriculture North Rhine-Westphalia, internal names such as "House 1" or "Block 2" remain permitted. Each area additionally needs a GPS point, ideally in the middle. Nobody has to document in smaller units than before.
- Treated area: if only part of a field was treated, that part counts.
Crop with EPPO code
The EPPO code is an internationally uniform code for plants and pests, for example TRZAW for winter wheat or SOLTU for potato. Choose the code in line with the product's authorisation. If a product is authorised for a crop group such as ornamentals, the group code fits. If only a single crop was treated, its own code makes sense.
Each treated crop is a separate entry. Anyone treating three plantings of lettuce in one pass creates three records – with staggered plantings, one per planting date.
BBCH stage and time
The BBCH stage describes the development of the crop, for example BBCH 32 for the second-node stage in cereals. It is mandatory if the authorisation ties applications to a stage. Recording it every time is the safe option and gives a better basis for your own analyses.
The time is mandatory if the application is time-restricted. A typical case are bee protection conditions that allow an application only after daily bee flight has ended.
Seed and planting material treatment
When seed or planting material is treated, the treated material, its quantity and the batch number take the place of the field. This makes it possible to trace later which batch was treated.
Example from vegetable production
A vegetable farm treats three plantings of lettuce in two polytunnels in the evening with a tank mix of two products. This results in six records: one per planting and per product. Each record names the user, the type of use, date and time, the product with authorisation number and the quantity actually applied, the tunnel with GPS point and treated area, and the crop with EPPO code. That sounds laborious, but farm record software can create it from a single entry if it stores plantings and products separately.
Common mistakes
- rate per hectare recorded instead of the total quantity applied, without the treated area
- one collective entry for several crops or plantings
- missing authorisation number, only the trade name
- field without FLIK or GPS point
- missing time despite a time restriction
Required fields in PhytAI
PhytAI keeps the required details as fields and shows a list of missing information before a record is completed. Products are chosen with their authorisation number from the BVL register, the rate per hectare is shown for comparison, EPPO code and field come from the crop cycle and master data, and the GPS point is captured with one tap on the phone. A pass over several plantings creates one record per crop; tank mixes store each product separately with a shared identifier.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find EPPO codes? In the EPPO Global Database and in the authorisation details of the BVL register. Many farm record programs suggest codes.
Do I have to state the target pest? According to the guidance of the federal states no, but it is recommended. The information is valuable for your own analyses and resistance strategies.
How precise does the GPS point have to be? The Chamber of Agriculture North Rhine-Westphalia recommends a point as close to the middle of the area as possible.
Sources
- Chamber of Agriculture North Rhine-Westphalia: Dokumentationspflicht von Pflanzenschutzmittel-Anwendungen (nurseries), retrieved 13 Sep 2026
- Hesse State Agricultural Agency: Pflanzenschutz-Dokumentation: Hinweise zu den Neuerungen ab 2026, retrieved 13 Sep 2026
- Plant Protection Service Lower Saxony: Dokumentationspflicht von Pflanzenschutzmittel-Anwendungen: Neue Vorgaben ab 2026, 15 Jan 2026, retrieved 13 Sep 2026
- EPPO: EPPO Global Database, retrieved 16 Sep 2026
- BVL: PSM-API of authorised plant protection products, retrieved 13 Sep 2026
This article reflects the situation on the date shown, based on the sources named, and is not legal advice. Laws, approvals, official decisions and the guidance of the competent authorities prevail.