UK-China Agritech Challenge: Environmentally Benign Combination Biopesticides - Transforming Pest Control in Chinese and UK Agriculture
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Greenwich
Department Name: Natural Resources Institute, FES
Abstract
Environmentally benign fungal pathogens and naturally insecticidal plant extracts could offer a sustainable alternative to synthetic chemical pesticides. Fungal control does not have many of the problems associated with conventional control such as pest resistance, toxicity to humans and persistence in the environment. One downside to such a technology is that it can be slow acting to achieve effective control. The aim of this project is to create a formulation combining fungal pathogens with the pesticidal plant extracts to create effective pest control with two non-synthetic control agents. This solution will be applicable in developing countries such as China where the materials can be locally produced. Creating a new product with these technologies may confer additional benefits as the modes of action may work in synergy to achieve greater pest control with less material required. Additional benefits to using these biopesticides would be the stimulation the growth of this market, provision of safer working conditions, creating job opportunities and allowing local growers to receive a greater return for their produce by conforming to EU regulations on pesticide use. We anticipate that this will have considerable benefits for the ecosystems in which they are applied due to reduced impacts on non-target insects such as pollinators.
From a scientific and cultural perspective this would open-up opportunities for other pathogen-botanical extract formulations to be developed and increase awareness of alternative solutions in pest control, encouraging growers and industry to move away from synthetic chemical control.
The project will involve laboratory testing of the plant extracts and fungal pathogens for potentially synergistic, antagonistic or additive effects when controlling pest populations, formulated blends of plant extracts with the fungal pathogen in a concentration identified as effective in laboratory assays and field testing on crops in China. In field and laboratory testing the incidence of target pests, damage caused and the impact on beneficial insects (i.e. pollinators and natural enemies of the pests) will be monitored.
A report will be prepared with a plan for future research required and a plan for the exploitation of this new technology. The project will be a collaboration between the Natural Resources Institute and Eurorganic Ltd in the UK and Fujian Agriculture & Forestry University and Jiangxi Tian-Ren Ltd in China.
From a scientific and cultural perspective this would open-up opportunities for other pathogen-botanical extract formulations to be developed and increase awareness of alternative solutions in pest control, encouraging growers and industry to move away from synthetic chemical control.
The project will involve laboratory testing of the plant extracts and fungal pathogens for potentially synergistic, antagonistic or additive effects when controlling pest populations, formulated blends of plant extracts with the fungal pathogen in a concentration identified as effective in laboratory assays and field testing on crops in China. In field and laboratory testing the incidence of target pests, damage caused and the impact on beneficial insects (i.e. pollinators and natural enemies of the pests) will be monitored.
A report will be prepared with a plan for future research required and a plan for the exploitation of this new technology. The project will be a collaboration between the Natural Resources Institute and Eurorganic Ltd in the UK and Fujian Agriculture & Forestry University and Jiangxi Tian-Ren Ltd in China.
Planned Impact
The project will deliver positive economic, environmental and social impact. The primary beneficiaries of this action will be farmers who will profit from reduced pest control input costs through lower quantities of pesticide applied less frequently. This will impact investment reducing annual costs but maintaining crops yields. Agriculture is crucial in China which ranks 1st in the world for farm output producing 20% of the world's food and employs over 300 million farmers so China's agriculture sector provides a vast market opportunity for our innovation. Our target crops, brassicas, strawberries and tea are grown on over 20 million Ha but could our innovation is relevant to other crops in China too for which the arable land area is 1 million km2. Importantly the average land holding is less than 1 hectare so economic benefits will be to address poverty and food insecurity. The innovation will have immediate benefit to some farmers but potentially lead to a step change in Chinese food production. Our target farmers are small holders and larger scale growers of nutritional and economic importance benefitting livelihoods and consumers. Farmers will benefit from effective pest control with reduced environmental and human health impacts associated with synthetic pesticides. The product will reduce pest damage and crop loss but not impede export to the UK and Europe where restrictions on permitted pesticide might limit food imports. Purveyors of fruits and brassicas in the UK will benefit from a more sustainable supply, and UK consumers will benefit from a higher quality product.
Pyrethrum producers and industry partners will benefit directly through increased markets for new products and the rejuvenation of the global market for natural alternatives to synthetic pesticides. Industrial partners will benefit through increased income from market growth and enhanced value from selling a more effective product. Pyrethrum will be sourced East Africa for the UK markets and from China for Chinese markets along with other botanicals including matrine. Pyrethrum growers are typically resource and monetarily poor and rely on this crop for their livelihoods. By generating new pyrethrum markets, and reducing impacts of pests on other crops, our innovation will directly reduce poverty of Pyrethrum growers.
Uptake of microbial pesticides internationally is hindered in part by their slow action in controlling insect pests. Addressing this limitation by combining with botanicals will improve control and reduce pest damage, in a formulation that meets international food safety standards, and will increase demand. Use of natural biopesticides will address the major challenge in China's development goals for 2020, which includes improving safety of food and farming and quality of life through healthier environments, alleviate poverty in rural areas, and drive economic growth through innovation (CCCPC, 2016).
Our innovation will be achieved through knowledge exchange between UK-based entomologists and natural product chemists, benefitting our China-based academic and commercial partner. This project will permit translation of academic concepts to applied innovations for poverty alleviation benefitting lower to middle income countries.
The research will provide new evidence on interactions between EPFs and natural enemies and pollinators informing the scientific community about the development of more effective pest control and establish that it is possible to integrate control technologies, opening the door for other combinations of biocontrol tools. All these benefits will extend far beyond the life of the project and establish a basis for the consortium to explore further sustainable agricultural solutions.
References
Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. 2016. The 13th five-year plan for economic and social development of the People's Republic of China (2016-2020).
Pyrethrum producers and industry partners will benefit directly through increased markets for new products and the rejuvenation of the global market for natural alternatives to synthetic pesticides. Industrial partners will benefit through increased income from market growth and enhanced value from selling a more effective product. Pyrethrum will be sourced East Africa for the UK markets and from China for Chinese markets along with other botanicals including matrine. Pyrethrum growers are typically resource and monetarily poor and rely on this crop for their livelihoods. By generating new pyrethrum markets, and reducing impacts of pests on other crops, our innovation will directly reduce poverty of Pyrethrum growers.
Uptake of microbial pesticides internationally is hindered in part by their slow action in controlling insect pests. Addressing this limitation by combining with botanicals will improve control and reduce pest damage, in a formulation that meets international food safety standards, and will increase demand. Use of natural biopesticides will address the major challenge in China's development goals for 2020, which includes improving safety of food and farming and quality of life through healthier environments, alleviate poverty in rural areas, and drive economic growth through innovation (CCCPC, 2016).
Our innovation will be achieved through knowledge exchange between UK-based entomologists and natural product chemists, benefitting our China-based academic and commercial partner. This project will permit translation of academic concepts to applied innovations for poverty alleviation benefitting lower to middle income countries.
The research will provide new evidence on interactions between EPFs and natural enemies and pollinators informing the scientific community about the development of more effective pest control and establish that it is possible to integrate control technologies, opening the door for other combinations of biocontrol tools. All these benefits will extend far beyond the life of the project and establish a basis for the consortium to explore further sustainable agricultural solutions.
References
Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. 2016. The 13th five-year plan for economic and social development of the People's Republic of China (2016-2020).
Publications
Fernández-Grandon GM
(2020)
Additive Effect of Botanical Insecticide and Entomopathogenic Fungi on Pest Mortality and the Behavioral Response of Its Natural Enemy.
in Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
Harte SJ
(2024)
Antagonistic and additive effect when combining biopesticides against the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda.
in Scientific reports
Li J
(2023)
Characterization of an a-Amylase from the Honeybee Chalk Brood Pathogen Ascosphaera apis.
in Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland)
Phambala K
(2020)
Bioactivity of Common Pesticidal Plants on Fall Armyworm Larvae (Spodoptera frugiperda)
in Plants
Rioba NB
(2020)
Opportunities and Scope for Botanical Extracts and Products for the Management of Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) for Smallholders in Africa.
in Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
Su X
(2020)
Identification and partial purification of thuricin 4AJ1 produced by Bacillus thuringiensis.
in Archives of microbiology
Wang WR
(2020)
Complete mitogenome of the entomopathogenic fungus Orbiocrella petchii.
in Mitochondrial DNA. Part B, Resources
Zhu Z
(2023)
Characterization of Terpenoids from the Ambrosia Beetle Symbiont and Laurel Wilt Pathogen Harringtonia lauricola
in Journal of Fungi
Description | We have shown that pyrethrum, the target plant based insecticide for the project, works effectively against aphid pests of beans with an entomopathogenic fungus biopesticide with both being used at lower than recommended application rates, showing no antagonism and that there is little effect on the behaviour of a natural enemy of the target pest. Field trials of the combination biopesticide were trialled in China during January 2021 but the results were unclear - although there was no antagonistic effect. |
Exploitation Route | A commercial product that is environmentally benign compared to synthetic chemical based pesticides will be developed with our UK based commercial partner AgroPy. This will be a product developed for agriculture and distributed globally. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink |
URL | http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=BB%2FS02087X%2F1 |
Description | Pyrethrum in Bloom: Bringing Back the Power of Pyrethrum to Enhance Livelihoods of Small Holders in Kenya |
Amount | £661,082 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 49480 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2020 |
End | 07/2023 |
Description | Cocoa pollination patnership to prepare CAOBISCO bid |
Organisation | Durham University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Leading bid-writing for an application for CAOBISCO funds on cocoa pollination. This application uses findings and methods developed as part of UKRI projects NaPROCLA and Environmentally Benign Combination Pesticides, as well as industry contacts from the latter, and involves Stevenson, Fernandez-Grandon and Arnold as participants. |
Collaborator Contribution | Durham is leading a work package and KNUST is instrumental in implementation. All partners are involved in WP design and planning, and the writing process. If funded (likely), collaboration will result in €660,000 approx. income for the partnership from CAOBISCO. |
Impact | Funding bid anticipated to be submitted in late February 2022. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Cocoa pollination patnership to prepare CAOBISCO bid |
Organisation | Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) |
Country | Ghana |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Leading bid-writing for an application for CAOBISCO funds on cocoa pollination. This application uses findings and methods developed as part of UKRI projects NaPROCLA and Environmentally Benign Combination Pesticides, as well as industry contacts from the latter, and involves Stevenson, Fernandez-Grandon and Arnold as participants. |
Collaborator Contribution | Durham is leading a work package and KNUST is instrumental in implementation. All partners are involved in WP design and planning, and the writing process. If funded (likely), collaboration will result in €660,000 approx. income for the partnership from CAOBISCO. |
Impact | Funding bid anticipated to be submitted in late February 2022. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Collaboration with Russell IPM |
Organisation | Russell IPM (Integrated Pest Management) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | D Bray has arranged for field trials to be conducted which will test the efficacy of pyrethrum supplied by a AgroPy Ltd in combination with an entomopathogenic fungi supplied by Russell IPM. This collaboration has arisen through synergism between two existing projects, UK-China Agritech Challenge: Environmentally Benign Combination Biopesticides - Transforming Pest Control in Chinese and UK Agriculture and 104607: Auto-dissemination of entomopathogenic fungi for sustainable control of spotted wing drosophila, an invasive pest threatening the future prosperity of the UK horticulture industry. |
Collaborator Contribution | Russell IPM will supply entomopathogenic fungi for testing. They will also formulate the EPF in a spray suitable for use in combination with pyrethrum. |
Impact | Outputs will be expected in 2021/2022. The collaboration includes aspects of chemical ecology, entomology, natural product chemistry and experimental design and analysis of field trials. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Pyrethrum in Bloom Collaboration in Kenya |
Organisation | Egerton University |
Country | Kenya |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We drafted a proposal to Innovate UK to build on existing knowledge on Pyrethrum TS/V001213/1 |
Collaborator Contribution | Co-I s on the project |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2019 |
Title | Method for symbiotic Beauveria bassiana in radish plants and defense of its symbiotic plants against Plutella xylostella |
Description | Method for symbiotic Beauveria bassiana in radish plants and defense of its symbiotic plants against Plutella xylostella |
IP Reference | PATENT NO: 202011147123.X1. Method for symbiotic Beauveria bassiana in radish plants and defense of its symbiotic plants against Plutella xylostella |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2020 |
Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
Impact | None yet |
Description | 19th International Plant Protection Congress. IPPC2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Plenary Talk at 19th International Plant Protection Congress 11-14th November 2019 Hyderabad India. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Appearance on BBC All Over The Place CBBC TV |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Participated in a programme for CBBC and talked about Kew's and NRIs work on pollinators and bee diversity. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Guest Lecture (Fuzhou, China) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Guest lectures were given by Mandela Fernandez-Grandon and Sarah Arnold to students at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University. A mix of around 55 undergraduate and postgraduate students attended to learn about the work along with other lecturers and postdoctoral researchers. Questions were permitted after. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | HRH Prince CHarles patron of Kew visit and engagement. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | I met with Prince Charles to discuss Kew's work on pollinators and discuss rewilding schemes and the importance of pollinator diversity for food security covering all UKRI projects. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Insects & The Lynx Effect: A live streamed presentation for Pint of Science |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This presentation was performed by Sarah Arnold and Steven Harte and organised through the Pint of Science organisation. Live streamed on both Youtube and Facebook, the presentation looked at the effects of pheromones and other semiochemicals have on the behaviour of insects. This event lasted one hour and was intended to engage the public in current cutting edge research going on in the local region, as such it included a 20 minute Q&A session with the live audience where a lively discussion occurred including whether using peoples scents could be used in online dating. The event had over 100 people watching live and at the time of writing has had over 1000 views on Youtube. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhNKaxWgfpk&t=2638s |
Description | Interviewed for an article in Financial Times |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Discussed future for food and sustainable agriculture. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Invited lecture to Imperial College London |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Talk to Imperial College London (Silwood Park) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | On-site Training in Field Entomology Techniques |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Research students were taken to the field site and had a hands-on demonstration of insect sampling techniques used in ecology. These were students primarily from a background in molecular ecology who had an interest in being involved in ecological studies. These skills were then put into practice as the students later had a chance to participate in data collection once the trails were running. Senior staff were also provided guidance for future training as they were interested in moving into this branch of research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Presentation at the International Congress of Entomology |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | International Congress of Entomology invited speaker to talk about natural pest regualtion in subsaharan Africa. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Radio Interview BBCR4 The Food Programme. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interview with Dan Saladino of BBC Radio 4 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/programmes/m00187p5 |
Description | TV Interview on work for national (Kenya) broadcast |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Before commencing the project, members of the team provided an interview while on national TV in Kenya to explain the potential benefits of using pyrethrum and how we planned to explore these opportunities with in this upcoming project. We did so at a gathering of key stakeholders in the Kenyan pyrethrum sector and discussed the international interest in technologies utilising a resource readily available in East Africa. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Talk for South London Botanical Institute 18th March 2021 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | 66 audience members signed up for Arnold's talk on "Bees' needs" about plant-pollinator interactions, habitat management for pollinators and plant-pollinator conflict. Touched on areas related to smallholder farm management, nectar phytochemistry, caffeine and commercial bees, threats to pollinators. The talk stimulated extensive discussion about pollinator diversity, habitat management and bee learning processes, with audience members mentioning a new interest in the importance of soil in bees. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Talk for South London Botanical Institute 9th November 2021 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | An online Zoom talk to the South London Botanical Institute, a mixture of people with an interest in botany from professional taxonomists through to experienced field naturalists through to broadly interested individuals. Around 16 people attended and the talk presented work from NaPROCLA in the context of sustainable agriculture and climate change, with discussion and reflection at the end. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.slbi.org.uk/event/plants-farms-climate-and-the-biodiversity-crisis-an-online-talk/ |
Description | Twilight Lecture (virtual online lecture) 16th March 2021 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Around 10 16-19 year olds attended a university "Twilight Lecture". These are intended to provide a taster of university learning and teaching, enthuse and inspire. The Twilight Lecture "Fantastic Flowers" included elements related to Arnold's research on UKRI projects (management of landscape on African smallholder farms; pollinator learning and factors affecting it; plant-pollinator interactions). There were questions and discussion around pollinators, the environment and sustainability. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://docs.gre.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/216032/Virtual-Twilight-Lecture-Schedule-2020-202... |