Newton Fund - Reduced pesticide contamination of groundwater
Lead Participant:
YMGYNGHORWYR LISK & JONES CYF
Abstract
Contamination of water supplies due to pesticide run-off is a major problem in Brazil. This is particularly severe
in cotton-growing areas because of the large amounts of pesticide used against insect pests such as the boll
weevil. Furthermore, the cost of pesticides required has lead to a halving of the area of cotton grown with a
consequent loss of income for farmers, particularly in the poorer North East of the country. This project brings
together UK and Brazilian commercial and academic partners with the aim of developing a lure-and-kill
technology for control of boll weevil and other pests. This contains a pheromone to attract specifically the
target pest and a low loading of insecticide or biopesticide to kill it. The devices will be constructed of novel
biodegradable polymers so that they are simple and cheap to manufacture and deploy and do not need to be
collected in at the end of the season. The devices will be field tested in Brazil and registered by the Brazilian
partners. Their use should greatly reduce the amount of insecticide applied to cotton and give reduced
contamination of groundwater, better and cheaper pest control and improved livelihoods for cotton growers.
in cotton-growing areas because of the large amounts of pesticide used against insect pests such as the boll
weevil. Furthermore, the cost of pesticides required has lead to a halving of the area of cotton grown with a
consequent loss of income for farmers, particularly in the poorer North East of the country. This project brings
together UK and Brazilian commercial and academic partners with the aim of developing a lure-and-kill
technology for control of boll weevil and other pests. This contains a pheromone to attract specifically the
target pest and a low loading of insecticide or biopesticide to kill it. The devices will be constructed of novel
biodegradable polymers so that they are simple and cheap to manufacture and deploy and do not need to be
collected in at the end of the season. The devices will be field tested in Brazil and registered by the Brazilian
partners. Their use should greatly reduce the amount of insecticide applied to cotton and give reduced
contamination of groundwater, better and cheaper pest control and improved livelihoods for cotton growers.
Lead Participant | Project Cost | Grant Offer |
---|---|---|
YMGYNGHORWYR LISK & JONES CYF | £134,788 | £ 94,352 |
  | ||
Participant |
||
SENTOMOL LTD. | £15,001 | £ 10,501 |
NIAB. | £37,133 | £ 37,133 |
NATIONAL INST OF AGRICULTURAL BOTANY | ||
HOCKLEY INTERNATIONAL LIMITED | £46,984 | £ 28,190 |
UNIVERSITY OF GREENWICH | ||
RAINBOW PROFESSIONAL LTD | £168,015 | £ 117,611 |
EMERALD RESEARCH LIMITED | ||
BANGOR UNIVERSITY N WALES | £67,441 | £ 67,441 |
INNOVATE UK | ||
BANGOR UNIVERSITY | ||
UNIVERSITY OF GREENWICH | £52,721 | £ 52,721 |
People |
ORCID iD |
Owen Jones (Project Manager) |