Development of novel semiochemicals for crop protection

由于现有耕地的压力，迫切需要可持续地提高粮食作物产量。对付害虫的一种方法是排斥或吸引它们，使用（半）化学信号诱捕器，使它们远离高价值作物。我们通过酶的战略性化学过程生产了改性的驱虫和引诱剂半化学品。一种新颖的、具有高度吸引力的蚜虫化学物质（DMGD）对多种蚜虫具有很高的现场吸引力，并在现场模拟研究中被证明可以通过推挽方法控制害虫蚜虫，这种方法由天然产物中类异戊二烯类的天然驱避剂GD和相关DMGD的拉力提供抗植物定植的推力。已经确定了扩大商业规模的机会，现在可以支持蚜虫控制的田间试验，并在莴苣的高价值田间生产中专门针对莴苣蚜虫进行商业试验。

Due to pressure on available farmland there is an urgent need for sustainably enhancing food crop production. One approach to combat insect pests it to repel or attract them, using (semio)chemical signal baited traps, keeping them away from high value crops.We have produced modified aphid repellent and attractant semiochemicals through a strategic chemical process using enzymes. A novel and highly attractive aphid semiochemical (DMGD) has shown high field attraction to a range of pest aphids and has been demonstrated in field simulating studies as offering pest aphid control by the push-pull approach with the push against plant colonisation provided by the natural repellent, GD, in the isoprenoid group of natural products and the pull by the related DMGD. Opportunities for commercial scale up have been identified and can now underpin field trials for aphid control and commercial testing specifically against the lettuce aphid in the high value field production of lettuce.