PHEromones for Row crop Applications

The global population growth means farmers worldwide need to increase crop production. However, pests remain a problem. EU scientists are moving away from current methods such as chemical insecticides and GM crops, which are unsustainable. The EU-funded PHERA project is developing a new effective, affordable and sustainable pest control method that uses insect sex pheromones to prevent pest reproduction by disrupting the insects’ ability to attract mating partners. The mating disruption (MD) method, which has been widely used for specialty crops, does not affect biodiversity, soil or groundwater. PHERA is developing the biological production of radically cheaper pheromones that will finally allow the application of MD for pest control in row crops. By 2027, PHERA plans to have created a new agtech business for MD solutions in row crop applications worth EUR 640 million and 300 new jobs.