PHERA

PHEromones for Row crop Applications

Project details

Type of project: Innovation Action - Demonstration
Project focus: Crop protection & fertilisation
Feedstock origin: Agri-food waste
Feedstock type: Food industry sidestreams

Project period: 1 March 2020 - 31 August 2023
Status: Completed
CBE JU Contribution: € 6 402 164,00
Call identifier: H2020-BBI-JTI-2019

Summary

Mating disruption offers an effective solution to pest control and an alternative to current chemical-based insecticides. This approach uses insect sex pheromones to disrupt their reproductive cycles. Unlike chemical-based pesticides, it preserves biodiversity and has no environmental toxicity.

Although the science of mating disruption has been understood and proven for some 20 years, the cost of pheromone production has been a barrier to its deployment. However, research into production via fermentation methods has been under development for around five years. This will be able to produce pheromones at a fraction of the cost of the synthetic alternatives. The dramatic drop in price will move mating disruption for pest protection out of its current niche of high-value crops and make it affordable and accessible for large-scale row crops.

Creating an effective biotech-based method for producing pheromones will address this challenge and allow for the wider deployment of this solution. PHERA brings together the required expertise in production and formulation.

Consortium map

Project coordination

BIOPHERO APS COPENHAGEN Ø, Denmark

Consortium

ISCA Europe, SAS San Malo, France
RUSSELL IPM LTD Flintshire, United Kingdom
NOVAGRICA HELLAS ANONIMI EMPORIKI EXAGOGIKI KAI SYMVOULEFTIKI ETAIRIA BIOLOGIKON KAI CHIMIKON PROIONTON Athina, Greece
FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV MUNCHEN, Germany
RUSSELL IPM BANGLADESH LIMITED DHAKA, Bangladesh
SEDQ HEALTHY CROPS SL Barcelona, Spain

Former member

BIOPROCESS PILOT FACILITY BV Delft, Netherlands

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PHERA

Project details

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