Scaled-up Production and Validation of Midge and Weevil Pheromones for Pest Management

蠓和象鼻虫是影响豆科食品生产的重要全球性害虫。这些害虫的管理为全球害虫管理行业提供了一个潜在的利润丰厚且不断增长的市场，包括英国、欧洲大陆、北非和北美，这些害虫问题已经得到了很好的解决。蠓和象鼻虫的管理存在问题；粮食收获在其生命周期的特定阶段可能会接触到农药，这些农药随后可能进入人类和动物的食物链。全球有一种日益增长的趋势，即在粮食生产中不再依赖化学农药，转而采用病虫害综合治理战略。农药药效下降、立法管制导致可得性减少以及与农药使用有关的环境问题推动了对IPM战略的需求。信息素是IPM策略的关键组成部分，但与其他作物害虫相比，目前市场上几乎没有豆科蠓和象鼻虫信息素。在这个项目中，PheroSyn将首次开发出商业化规模生产豌豆蠓性信息素和豌豆和豆类象鼻虫聚集信息素的合成路线。信息素产品在捕获和监测豆类生产系统中蠓和象鼻虫种群方面的功效将由英国加工商和种植者协会（PGRO）承担，该协会是豌豆和豆类的卓越中心，在提供权威的、最新的信息和基于坚实、可靠研究的项目工作方面有着长期和高度重视的记录。随着生产能力和产品验证的实现，作为向英国和欧洲大陆的最终用户（农民和种植者）提供信息素产品的领先供应商，Koppert生物系统公司将从2021年开始将信息素用于豆类生产系统。Koppert已经确认了他们对在这些地区销售信息素产品的兴趣。该项目将建立一个供应链（制造-验证-分销），将迄今无法获得的有需求的产品销售到农业综合企业部门，从而扰乱建立已久的化学农药市场。该项目将帮助PheroSyn加速业务增长，为世界各地的农民和种植者提供有效、持久、安全和负担得起的害虫管理工具。信息素用于豆类害虫的气候智能型IPM将为英国提供显著的社会和经济效益，通过减少化学农药的生产和部署，生产价格合理、食用安全的食品，促进零碳农业。

Midges and weevils are significant global pests of legume food production. Management of these pests provides a potentially lucrative and growing market in the pest management industry globally, including in the UK, continental Europe, North Africa and North America, where these pest problems are well established. Management of midges and weevils is problematic; the food harvest can potentially be exposed to pesticides when targeting specific stages of their life cycles, and these pesticides may subsequently enter the human and animal food chain. There is a growing global trend to move away from reliance on chemical pesticides in food production in favour of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. The need for IPM strategies is driven by loss in efficacy of pesticides, reduced availability due to legislative regulation, and environmental issues associated with pesticide use. Pheromones form a critical component of IPM strategies, but compared to other crop pests, there are virtually no legume midge and weevil pheromones currently available on the market.In this project, PheroSyn will, for the first time, develop synthesis routes for commercial-scale production of the pea midge sex pheromone and pea & bean weevil aggregation pheromone. Efficacy of the pheromone products in trapping and monitoring populations of midges and weevils in legume production systems will be undertaken by the UK Processors and Growers Association (PGRO), a centre of excellence for peas and beans, with a long and highly valued track record of providing authoritative, up to date information and project work based on solid, reliable research. With production capacity and product validation achieved, Koppert Biological Systems, a leading supplier of pheromone products to end-users (farmers and growers) in the UK and continental Europe, will market the pheromones for use in legume production systems from 2021\. Koppert have already confirmed their interest in marketing the pheromone products in these territories.The project will establish a supply chain (manufacture -- validation -- distribution) for sale of hitherto-unavailable products that are in demand, into the agribusiness sector, thereby disrupting the long-established chemical pesticides market. The project will help PheroSyn accelerate its' business growth, supplying effective, long-lasting, safe and affordable pest management tools to farmers and growers worldwide. Availability of the pheromones for use in climate-smart IPM of legume pests will provide significant social and economic benefit to the UK by producing affordable, safe-to-eat food in a way that promotes zero-carbon agriculture through reduced chemical pesticide manufacture and deployment.