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

飞虱和象甲是影响豆类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有利可图且不断增长的市场，包括在英国、欧洲大陆、北非和北美，在这些国家，这些害虫问题由来已久。对蚊虫和象甲的管理是有问题的；当针对其生命周期的特定阶段时，粮食收获可能会接触到杀虫剂，这些杀虫剂可能随后进入人类和动物食物链。全球有一种日益增长的趋势，即在粮食生产中摆脱对化学杀虫剂的依赖，转而采用病虫害综合管理战略。杀虫剂药效的丧失、立法监管导致的可获得性降低以及与农药使用相关的环境问题，都推动了对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类吸虫和象甲信息素。在这个项目中，PhererSyn将首次开发用于商业规模生产豌豆吸虫性信息素和豌豆和豆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的蚊虫和象鼻虫种群方面的有效性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、最新信息和基于扎实、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，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 BioSystems将从2021年起销售用于豆类生产系统的信息素。Koppert已经确认他们有兴趣在这些地区销售信息素产品。该项目将建立一个供应链(制造-验证-分销)，将迄今无法获得的产品销售到农业综合企业部门，从而扰乱长期建立的化学农药市场。该项目将帮助PheroSyn加快其业务增长，为全球农民和种植者提供有效、持久、安全和负担得起的虫害管理工具。用于豆类害虫气候智能综合防治的信息素的可用性将通过减少化学农药的制造和部署来生产负担得起、食用安全的食品，从而促进零碳农业，从而为英国带来显著的社会和经济效益。

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.