Development of novel semiochemicals for crop protection
Lead Research Organisation:
CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
Department Name: Chemistry
Abstract
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.
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.
Publications
Cheruiyot D
(2022)
Field evaluation of a new third generation push-pull technology for control of striga weed, stemborers, and fall armyworm in western Kenya
in Experimental Agriculture
Huynh F
(2020)
Accelerating Biphasic Biocatalysis through New Process Windows.
in Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)
Huynh F
(2018)
Sesquiterpene Synthase-Catalysed Formation of a New Medium-Sized Cyclic Terpenoid Ether from Farnesyl Diphosphate Analogues.
in Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology
Huynh F
(2018)
Enzymes in Synthetic Biology
Johnson L
(2020)
Modular Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Terpenes and their Analogues
in Angewandte Chemie
Johnson L
(2025)
Engineering terpene synthases and their substrates for the biocatalytic production of terpene natural products and analogues
in Chemical Communications
Johnson LA
(2020)
Modular Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Terpenes and their Analogues.
in Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)
Li W
(2021)
Overexpression of the homoterpene synthase gene, OsCYP92C21, increases emissions of volatiles mediating tritrophic interactions in rice.
in Plant, cell & environment
Loizzi M
(2018)
Nucleophilic Water Capture or Proton Loss: Single Amino Acid Switch Converts d-Cadinene Synthase into Germacradien-4-ol Synthase.
in Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology
Loizzi M
(2019)
Silent catalytic promiscuity in the high-fidelity terpene cyclase d-cadinene synthase.
in Organic & biomolecular chemistry
| Description | Synthesising enough material for field scale trials has proved extremely resource intensive, so we developed a fully bio-catalytic synthesis (manuscript now published) for the components of the push-pull system; germacrene D and dimethyl germacrene D. This allows a two step synthesis carried out in water using purified recombinant enzymes to replace a length(l)y chemical synthesis requiring inert atmospheres, repeated chromatography and a highly-skilled operator. Recent advances, mostly in reaction engineering to optimise the space/time yield have resulted in major advances in isolated yields with hundreds of milligrams of germacrene D and the attractant analogue now being isolated readily. Field trials have been completed and final data analysis is ongoing. Publications on this analysis are in preparation. |
| Exploitation Route | While of considerable use to this project, the bio-catalytic synthesis technique we have developed can be applied generally to the synthesis of terpene and methylated terpene products. As many natural hormones and semiochemicals are based on terpenes with additional methyl or methylene groups, this could have a wide range of applications for crop protection. Lead researcher on this project Dr Luke Johnson has recently been awarded a BBSRC impact acceleration account award (Dec 2023 until Oct 2024) for further work on commercial development of our modular chemical biology approach to isoprenyl diphosphate and terpenoid synthesis. This work is focused on scaling up the preparation of commercial interesting terpenoids for businesses to develop and test formulations for use in the field (crop protection). |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Chemicals Environment Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology |
| Description | Advancing High Value Terpenoidal Semiochemicals for Crop Protection |
| Amount | £49,942 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Cardiff University |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2023 |
| End | 10/2024 |
| Description | Industrial partner network |
| Organisation | BioPhero ApS |
| Country | Denmark |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Through our collaborators Professor Owen Jones in particular but also Prof John Pickett who are well connected with the International Biocontrol Manufacturers' Association (IBMA)Home Page IBMA-GLOBAL International Biocontrol Manufacturers we have made contact and received favourable communication regarding potential firm collaboration from the players in the biocontrol industry and in particular those interested in semiochemicals, such as Shin Etsu, Suterra and Bedoukian as well as a number of other smaller participants in that field such as Provivi, BioPhero and Russell IPM Ltd. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Contact and discussions for potential future ventures made primarily by Prof Owen Jones and Prof John Pickett |
| Impact | None as yet but we remain active in preparing samples for industrial collaborators to employ on their own project. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Industrial partner network |
| Organisation | Provivi |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Through our collaborators Professor Owen Jones in particular but also Prof John Pickett who are well connected with the International Biocontrol Manufacturers' Association (IBMA)Home Page IBMA-GLOBAL International Biocontrol Manufacturers we have made contact and received favourable communication regarding potential firm collaboration from the players in the biocontrol industry and in particular those interested in semiochemicals, such as Shin Etsu, Suterra and Bedoukian as well as a number of other smaller participants in that field such as Provivi, BioPhero and Russell IPM Ltd. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Contact and discussions for potential future ventures made primarily by Prof Owen Jones and Prof John Pickett |
| Impact | None as yet but we remain active in preparing samples for industrial collaborators to employ on their own project. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Industrial partner network |
| Organisation | Russell IPM (Integrated Pest Management) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Through our collaborators Professor Owen Jones in particular but also Prof John Pickett who are well connected with the International Biocontrol Manufacturers' Association (IBMA)Home Page IBMA-GLOBAL International Biocontrol Manufacturers we have made contact and received favourable communication regarding potential firm collaboration from the players in the biocontrol industry and in particular those interested in semiochemicals, such as Shin Etsu, Suterra and Bedoukian as well as a number of other smaller participants in that field such as Provivi, BioPhero and Russell IPM Ltd. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Contact and discussions for potential future ventures made primarily by Prof Owen Jones and Prof John Pickett |
| Impact | None as yet but we remain active in preparing samples for industrial collaborators to employ on their own project. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Title | OLFACTORY LIGANDS |
| Description | The invention provides analogues of (S)-germacrene D analogue which have improved insect repellent properties compared to (S)-germacrene D analogue or which have insect attractant properties. |
| IP Reference | US2018271089 |
| Protection | Patent granted |
| Year Protection Granted | 2018 |
| Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
| Impact | Further development has been supported by Super Follow-On Funding. |
| Description | Next Generation Insects Chemical Ecology: Part I Career path in chemical ecology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Prof John Pickett was invited to take part in an event entitled Next Generation Insects Chemical Ecology on 29/11/2023 at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany. As part of this event he presented to the students highlights from his long illustrious career and showed how opportunities for a career in the chemical ecology industry have never been brighter. As part of this presentation our joint work on terpene synthases aimed at producing modified semiochemicals for crop protection was showcased towards the end. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Opportunities for increased sustainability of grassland food production and carbon sequestration |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Prof Pickett and myself (RKA) travelled to the University of Wyoming to explore possible academic and commercial opportunities as part of a delegation from Cardiff University. The purpose of the visit was part of a wider initiative to build a partnership between Cardiff University and the University of Wyoming, USA. Prof Pickett presented a variety of proposals for collaborations that included our work on germacrene D synthase and our modular chemoenzymatic synthesis of terpenoids using promiscuous kinases. Talks are ongoing on possible future collaborations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Opportunities in Crop Protection from plant-produced repellent (4R, 7R)-zingiberene |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Presentation by Prof John Pickett to BridgeFarm Biosciences as part of a site visit aimed at increasing network and promoting our research for potential future collaboration and commercialisation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Terpene Synthases: Structure, Function and Exploitation. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This was a research seminar at Nottingham University, February 2024 conducted by Prof John Pickett. The general theme of the presentation was the use of terpene synthases to generated bioactive terpenoid semiochemicals for use in environmentally benign crop protection. Material related to the modular generation of terpenes through the use of promiscuous kinases and terpene synthase to generate germacrene D analogues, and (4R,7R)-zingiberene and analogues including field testing of our germacrene D/14,15-dimethylgermacrene D push-pull strategy for protection of lettuce from aphids. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Terpenoids anticancer compounds: discovery and production |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This was a presentation by Prof John Pickett, delivered online through invitation from Prof Gilles Favre of Toulouse Cancer Research Centre to the staff there plus visitors from CAELIMP. Amongst the material presented was the work developed by the collaboration between the Allemann and Pickett groups on modular terpene synthesis using promiscuous kinases and showcased the work performed on germacrene D synthase, and (4R,7R)-zingiberene synthase. Further material included our work on water capture. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Video for Trio Sci Cymru on Youtube |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | A BSc project student (supervised by David Miller, CoI on this grant) produced a video in collaboration with Trio Sci Cymru to disseminate the idea of semiochemical based crop protection as a sustainable, environmentally benign, methodology as opposed to use of large quantities of pesticides through spraying. This video is professional in look and has been viewed 759 times on its still existing YouTube channel. Trio Sci Cymru were a welsh government funded organisation whose aim was to encourage engagement in science between school and university level students in STEM subjects. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pju-5zQb6gg |