An international research project funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 program will develop new pest control methods that neither cause environmental pollution nor harm beneficial insects.
The economic cost of agricultural pests is extremely difficult to estimate, but biological threats such as insects and disease account for around 40% of all crop losses globally. The rising need for food worldwide necessitates ever more effective methods in the fight against agricultural pests. By 2017, the world is expected to spend more than 65 billion USD annually on pesticides. At the same time, there is a pressing need to develop “greener” pesticides that target damaging insects while sparing beneficial ones. An international consortium of scientists, including participants from the Institute of Zoology at the University of Cologne headed by Professor Reinhard Predel, is hoping to develop new, eco-friendly pesticides that will render numerous pest insects less destructive. Horizon 2020, the EU’s research and innovation fund, has granted 7 million euros to the project nEUROSTRESSPEP, which will study developments in the hormone systems of selected insect species. The researchers are aiming to influence these systems with artificial hormone-like substances, so called peptidomimetics. Neuropeptides are a highly adjustable group of hormones that help the brain and tissues communicate with each other. The project will be launched in June and run for four years.
“At the Cologne Biocenter, we have outstanding conditions for structural clarification and only need a single specimen of an insect to be able to identify up to 100 neuropeptides found in the species,” Predel explains his institute’s role in the project. “These questions perfectly fit into our research focus.” The pests being targeted in this study include moths, locusts, aphids, flies and beetles, which either damage crops directly through eating, or indirectly by spreading plant viruses.
Traditionally employed pesticides are poisons that make no difference between damaging and beneficial insects or spiders. Moreover, despite the use of these chemicals, individual specimens of the insects generally survive and grow resistant to the pesticide. Their natural predators are often affected much more severely because they exist in significantly fewer numbers. As a result, in the next generation the insect population explodes because the number of natural predators has been diminished. “Our goal is to reduce the fitness of the damaging insects to prevent a population explosion,” Predel says. Other insects are not affected. “We will be able to specifically target the insect whose population we want to diminish; the relation between natural predator and insect remains unaltered and beneficial insects such as honeybees are no longer harmed.”
To develop artificial neuropeptides, the researchers have to identify the natural prototypes. “We will investigate if the species in question have unique specialized systems. In short: we want to use the unique nature of the species as the point of application.” Neuropeptides are very well suited for this strategy, as species often have unique neuropeptide sequences. Once the scientists have identified these sequences, they can develop structurally similar artificial messenger substances and stabilize them in such a way that the insects cannot break them down quickly. “If these artificial hormones cannot be broken down, the organism is destabilized. Its water balance, reproduction and nutrition intake are disturbed.”
Read more: Greener pest control
The Latest on: Greener pest control
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Greener pest control” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Greener pest control
- Orkin Pest Control Reviewson November 29, 2023 at 3:59 pm
Orkin is a worldwide pest control company with over 1.7 million residential and commercial customers and over 120 years of experience. It specializes in treatments against common pests like ...
- Get matched with top pest control services in Broomall, PAon November 28, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Share some details about your home project. Within moments, match with highly-rated local pros. Compare quotes and choose the best pro for the job.
- Get matched with top pest control services in Tomball, TXon November 28, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Share some details about your home project. Within moments, match with highly-rated local pros. Compare quotes and choose the best pro for the job.
- How to deal with bedbugs, according to a pest exterminatoron November 27, 2023 at 4:33 pm
A pest control specialist discusses how to get rid of bedbugs. Exterminators will spray pesticides in the home and clothes must be treated with heat.
- Greenix Pest Control Expands Presence with Acquisition of Bamboo Pest Controlon November 27, 2023 at 8:00 am
Greenix Pest Control, the 14th largest pest control provider in the U.S., is proud to announce its recent acquisition of Bamboo Pest Control in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. This strategic move marks a ...
- What is Pest Control?on November 14, 2023 at 9:06 am
Pest control is a crucial aspect of maintaining a healthy living environment in rental properties. It is often a point of contention between landlords and tenants, leading to questions such as: Who is ...
- How Much Does Pest Control Cost? (2023)on November 6, 2023 at 4:01 pm
A general pest control plan costs from $400 to $950 per year or from $30 to $50 per month, on average. Sometimes, hiring a professional pest control service is necessary to get rid of a severe ...
- How Much Does Pest Control Cost in 2023?on November 2, 2023 at 8:33 am
Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations. Estimating the average pest control cost can be challenging, but on average, you’ll spend between $250 and $675 on pest control ...
via Bing News