Collaborative project: Organic nanofibers as novel carriers for volatile semiochemicals in integrated and ecological agriculture – Subproject 1 | FISA - Forschungsinformationssystem Agrar und Ernährung

Collaborative project: Organic nanofibers as novel carriers for volatile semiochemicals in integrated and ecological agriculture – Subproject 1

Project

Project code: 2814201006
Contract period: 01.03.2008 - 31.12.2010
Budget: 155,958 Euro
Purpose of research: Experimental development

Pheromones specific for pest insects are known for half a century and after chemical identification were immediately applied both in organic and conventional agriculture. Specific pheromone uses in viticulture so far require manual application- an expensive proposition in case of more than one insect generation per growing season. For economic reasons, future mechanized application is indicated for winning the competition with the environmentally problematic and objectionable open spraying of synthetic toxins. Within the project FKZ 313- 06.01- 28- 1- 42.011- 06 an interdisciplinary consortium of scientists and engineers has been established. This cooperation resulted in the patentable invention of a novel procedure of electrospinning of pheromone containing organic polymer fibers. These dispensers of biodegradable, environmentally compatible Ecoflex (R) polyester fiber with diameters in the upper nanometer range are charged during the spinning process with the sex pheromone (E,Z),7,9-dodecadienyl acetate specific for Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera.Tortricidae), the European grape berry moth. Male-female communication of this species will be disrupted for a continuous period of seven weeks which is sufficient for the regulation of one generation of this insect pest. The effect achieved is comparable in biological and economic terms with commercial pheromone dispenser preparations of German and foreign origin which must be recollected after use. The electrospinning procedure has been registered via Transmit GmbH, Giessen and Marburg, under European and North American patent law protection. The environmental compatibility of the fiber-pheromone combination is confirmed by independent ecotoxicological investigations of JKI Berlin. Moreover, technical realization of these inventions is possible with existing commercial cultivation equipment, e.g. shoot binder machines, but for refinement needs further investments of public funds. Vineyard managers are excited by the prospect of saving one expensive cultivation step because the pheromone-nanofiber combination is self degradable. The market potential for this novel process is significant because today about one half of the total German vineyard acreage is treated by pheromone disruption, with increasing tendency. A market analysis by TransMIT GmbH indicates overall costs competitive with conventional insecticide treatments. -Extensibility of this novel concept from vineyards to other row crops is likely.

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