Development of plant protection products with environmentally friendly active ingredients to protect ecosystems and biodiversity.

Informations

Funding country

Hungary

Acronym

-

URL

-

Start date

8/1/2021

End date

7/31/2025

Budget

3,683,736 EUR

Fundings

Organisations

Abstract

As part of the new Common Agricultural Policy, pesticide use will be governed by stricter rules. A majority of products that are now commonly used, will not be available in the future. The European Commission in its “Farm to Fork” strategy launched in 20.05.2020 and the EU's “Biodiversity strategy for 2030” highlights the risks associated with pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and targets to reduce their use by 30-50%. The present authorization process, based on the potential hazards of active agents, will be changed. As a result, 75 active agents will be withdrawn or restricted, causing considerable losses to farmers and risking food security, too. Since biological pesticides based on less hazardous or safe active agents minimize the risks of pesticides, their development and use will help to overcome the above-mentioned threats. The present project aims to develop a set of pesticides based on natural active agents. We envisage a great potential market demand for the set, because it is accordance with the European Green Deal (set out by the European Commission in 2019) on the preservation of ecosystems and biological diversity; and it is able to offer alternatives to the products that will have been withdrawn by the next couple of years. Product line I. The development of Beauveria bassiana-based pesticides against white grubs (Melolonthidae) and nematodes (Nematoda) As a result of climate change and the lack of safe chemical active agents, protection against white grubs in grasslands, and nematodes in potato have become exceptionally difficult for farmers in Central Europe. A few promising field trials in Serbia and Poland have proved the efficacy of products containing the fungus Beauveria bassiana against these pests. Hungary has a patent and a preparation that relies on B. bassiana strains isolated from domestic soil, but at present, these are not registered as pesticides or yield enhancers within the EU, so their application throughout the EU is limited. The present project aims to have the local B. bassiana strains officially registered as an active agent, and the preparation containing the strains officially registered as a pesticide. To achieve sustainable and profitable production, the project includes the elaboration of the Standard Operating Procedure, including the microbiological protocol, and the establishment of a supply chain in Hungary and in Europe. Product line II. The development of a biological pesticide containing methyl anthranilate to be used as a bird repellent in corn and sunflower The approval documents of methiocarb and ziram, the two major active agents of bird repellent pesticides are considered withdrawn by 03.04.2020 and 21.04.2021, supported by environmental and human safety concerns. As these active agents will no longer be available, substitute methods and formulations are needed to mitigate the damage caused by birds, a major threat to corn production. The present project aims to develop and market a seed treatment preparation containing methyl anthranilate. The further development of a seed treatment will be preceded by a selection among available natural products to find the best alternative bird repellent. The next step is to have the selected active agent officially registered as an active agent, and the preparation containing the agent officially registered as a pesticide in the Central and Southern registration zone of Europe. Our aim is to create a technically viable, stable formulation that can be applied at farm level. Finally, to achieve a sustainable and profitable production, the project includes the elaboration of the Standard Operating Procedure, including the microbiological protocol, and the establishment of a supply chain in Hungary and in Europe.