PheroSyn to develop supply of novel pheromones for the pear gall midge and the pear leaf midge

Rothamsted spinout PheroSyn has secured a £0.5m Innovate UK smart grant to develop and validate new high-value pheromones for the management of pear gall midge and pear leaf midge, significant pests in fruit production.

Insects use pheromones to communicate; synthetic pheromones can disrupt mating and lure pests away from crops, and can also be used in traps.

Pheromones form a critical component of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), but there are currently very few fruit midge pheromones available compared with other crop pests. This 36-month project is a collaboration with Rothamsted Research and Andermatt Biocontrol UK, and will build on recent technological advances at PheroSyn and Rothamsted Research.

The efficacy of the pheromone products in trapping and monitoring midge populations in fruit production systems will be confirmed by Andermatt Biocontrol, a leading supplier of biological-based plant protection and pheromone products to farmers and growers. The grant will fund three years of field validation trials with Andermatt Biocontrol.

Importantly, the project also includes end-user validation, and the establishment of a supply chain for R&D, manufacture and distribution of the products to farmers and growers.

More information about PheroSyn.