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Love bugs? Not anymore! How mating disruption is giving pests the cold shoulder

Sustainable agriculture
Armyworm- © TheWaterMeloonProjec, Source: AdobeStock.
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Bio-based plant protection products (PPPs) are vital for making agriculture more sustainable. The CBE JU-funded PHERA project has helped develop new bio-based PPPs for the European and global markets using pheromones – chemicals that living beings give off to trigger a response in members of the same species, often for mating purposes.

The technology's key feature is mating disruption. The pheromones mimic the chemical characteristics of target insects' mating calls and prevent the insects from finding each other. As pheromones are natural compounds that evaporate from the environment quickly, they can reduce pest numbers and prevent crop damage without the need for toxic substances, thus reducing health risks to farmers. 

The PHERA project has succeeded in bringing biological pheromone production from laboratory to industrial scale.

Kristian Ebbensgaard, coordinator of PHERA

Lower production costs

The pheromones are produced by yeast fermentation of renewable feedstock. Large-scale production using an efficient biological platform means significantly lower production costs compared to conventional pheromone manufacturing by chemical synthesis. This lower production cost of fermented pheromones allows their application for pest control not only in fruit and vegetables but also in row crops like maize, rice and soybean, and, notably, at a price that is expected to be comparable to those of standard chemical insecticides.

‘The PHERA project has succeeded in bringing biological pheromone production from laboratory to industrial scale, and the first commercial pheromone products are now in the process of obtaining the necessary regulatory permissions, demonstrating that this technology for manufacturing pheromones will promote sustainable practices in agriculture,’ said Kristian Ebbensgaard, former CEO at BioPhero, the coordinator of PHERA.

 

Tested efficiency in field trials

The PHERA project conducted field trials of the pheromones on maize, cotton, and rice in the EU—in France, Spain, and Greece—and around the world: in India, Brazil, and Tanzania. The trials showed that pheromones can efficiently disrupt the mating of the target pests, reduce crop damage, and increase yield. At high pest pressure, pheromone treatment reduced the required number of insecticide applications. At low pest pressure, under specific circumstances, it could fully replace insecticides.

In trials in Asia, pheromone mating disruption was particularly effective when applied as part of an integrated pest management system, combined with soil-beneficial microbes and with bioinsecticide, leading to a 30% yield increase for rice. An increase in yield leads to increased income for farmers, which, in turn, has a substantial positive socio-economic impact.

 

Product launches in the pipeline

The pheromone products will guard against various pests, including the fall armyworm, the cotton bollworm, and the diamondback moth. PPPs targeting many other pests are in the pipeline.

In 2022, BioPhero was acquired by FMC. FMC’s involvement will be instrumental in the development and worldwide distribution of pheromone-based products. FMC expects to launch pheromone-based PPPs in several countries in 2025/26.

The first commercial pheromone products are now in the process of obtaining the necessary regulatory permissions.

Kristian Ebbensgaard, coordinator of PHERA

In addition, the project’s pheromone formulation partners ISCA Europe, Novagrica, Russell IPM and SEDQ have developed new pheromone formulations. Novagrica has created a novel drone system for easy, mechanised application of pheromones, and SEDQ has developed a biodegradable pheromone dispenser.

 

New jobs to sustainably fight pests

Thanks to the CBE JU-funded PHERA project and venture capital investments, BioPhero created some 30 new, high-technological jobs. Additional employment was secured at biotechnological contract manufacturing organisations in Europe and at the project’s pheromone formulation partners. Commercialisation of the project results will support these and other new jobs and revenue streams both in Europe and worldwide.

More importantly, pheromone-based solutions will become more mainstream in crop protection for the benefit of farmers, consumers and the environment. The PHERA project has proven that it is viable to use pheromones to control insect pests in row crops, adding impetus to the broader shift towards sustainability in agriculture. Pheromones can also help safeguard farmers’ livelihoods while advancing the transition to bio-based plant protection products.

 

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