Carlo Boutton, PhD, chief scientific officer, Biotalys
Boutton's insights into the workings of these products reveal a fascinating mode of action. Biotalys’ first product, EVOCA, targets pests like fungi by intervening at a critical stage of their development.
Boutton explains, "Our protein EVOCA integrates into the immature cell wall of the fungus, preventing it from maturing further." This interference, achieved through contact or binding with the immature cell wall, effectively halts the progression of the pest.
The journey to this groundbreaking discovery traces back to a serendipitous lab experiment at the University of Brussels in the early 1990s. A shortage of horse blood led the late Professor Raymond Hamers, PhD, to substitute it with dromedary blood, unknowingly unveiling a key difference in the immune system of camelids.
Boutton elaborates, "Animals in the camelid family possess two types of antibodies, including one of a simpler structure not found in other species." This accidental revelation laid the foundation for harnessing the unique properties of camelid antibodies in agricultural applications.
Biotalys’ AGROBODY Foundry platform is a pivotal component in this novel approach, working with the smallest functional domain of heavy-chain antibodies found in camelids. Boutton explains, "the AGROBODY protein is the active ingredient, specifically binding to antigens on pests or pathogens."
The efficacy of EVOCA was rigorously tested, starting from lab experiments with spores of the Botrytis fungus to field trials on full plants.
Photo: Biotalys
From that, Biotalys developed EVOCA, the first product utilizing this technology in the agricultural sector, marking a significant milestone in pest management.
The efficacy of EVOCA was rigorously tested, starting from lab experiments with spores of the Botrytis fungus to field trials on full plants. Boutton emphasizes the choice of Botrytis due to its prevalence and economic impact, particularly in vineyards. The results were unequivocal – EVOCA effectively inhibited the growth of Botrytis across all testing stages and in the field as part of a spray rotation program.
Beyond its efficacy in pest management, the environmental benefits of protein-based biocontrol products are noteworthy. Unlike traditional chemical pesticides that degrade soil quality, these products break down into amino acids, enriching the soil and promoting sustainability.
With EVOCA paving the way, Boutton envisions a future of continuous innovation.
“We’re happy with EVOCA, absolutely, but this is only the beginning,” said Boutton. “We can do better. And now we are further perfecting our platform to make sure that the performance is even better and that will result in lower cost of goods, resulting in lower doses so that we can provide these biocontrol solutions at the cheaper price to the farmer. That’s what we’re working on.”
He unveils plans for EVOCA NG, the next generation of the product, aimed at enhancing performance and affordability. Leveraging advancements in production processes, EVOCA NG promises efficacy at a lower cost, ensuring broader accessibility for farmers.
EVOCA NG is the next generation of the product, aimed at enhancing performance and affordability.
Currently, Biotalys is seeking registration for EVOCA in the U.S. and the EU. The company will use the registration as a stepping-stone for its regulatory dossier for EVOCA NG, which may also be submitted for regulatory approval in other jurisdictions.
The regulatory journey, however, presents its own set of challenges. Delays stemming from resource constraints and the need to educate regulatory agencies about this novel technology underscore the complexities of bringing innovative agricultural solutions to market. Nevertheless, Boutton remains optimistic about the eventual approval of EVOCA and EVOCA NG, eagerly awaiting their introduction to farmers worldwide.
In anticipation of regulatory approval, strategic partnershipshave been established with industry leaders like Biobest and Novonesis for distribution and/or manufacturing. These alliances are poised to accelerate the adoption of protein-based biocontrol products, heralding a new era in sustainable agriculture.
Most recently, Biotalys announced the initiation of field trials for BioFun-6. This is Biotalys’ second biofungicide program spun out from its protein-discovery technology. BioFun-6 targets Botrytis, powdery mildew and anthracnose in high-value fruits and vegetables. The first round of field trials will focus on grapes and tomatoes in Europe, and results of these trials are expected by the end of this year. ●
In a groundbreaking stride towards revolutionizing agricultural practices, GreenLight Biosciences, a biotechnology company founded in 2008, has emerged as a trailblazer in RNA research.
Indeed, GreenLight Biosciences's pioneering RNAi technology represents a significant leap forward in agricultural innovation. With its RNA-based products, GreenLight Bio is revolutionizing the way farmers approach pest and disease management.
RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is a fundamental molecule found in all living organisms, including plants. RNA plays a crucial role in various biological processes, including protein synthesis and regulation.
Mark Singleton, chief commercial officer and general manager, GreenLight
The discovery of RNA interference (RNAi) by Andrew Fire and Craig Mello in 1998 paved the way for GreenLight Bio's innovative approach. Mark Singleton, chief commercial officer and general manager at GreenLight, notes that RNAi technology harnesses the natural mechanism of RNA to modulate protein production, offering a targeted and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional pesticides.
GreenLight Bio’s journey wasn't solely about making RNA. "Ourinitial mission was to find a better way to make naturally occurring molecules more efficiently," Singleton explains. “The challenge lay in providing a reliable and cost-efficient energy source for the biological systems involved.”
GreenLight's solution? Recycling spent yeast, abundant in RNA, to produce RNA-based products.
"What we do is we recycle spent yeast, chop up the RNA it contains into nucleotides, and use a unique energy system to put those nucleotides back together in the
order needed for our products," Singleton elaborates. "It's a massive recycling program within our manufacturing process."
So, what can RNA do in plant health? "RNAi technology allows us to stop the natural processes in an organism by preventing the production of specific proteins," Singleton clarifies. This capability opens doors to myriad applications, from developing highly targeted pesticides to mitigating the effects of plant pathogens like fusarium, which produce mycotoxins harmful to both crops and consumers.
Tank inspection at GreenLight’s Rochester facility.
Photo: Greenlight Biosciences
Natural biopesticide firstproduct release GreenLight Bio’s first product, Calantha, is a bioinsecticide based on RNA, designed to target and control Colorado potato beetle (CPB). The beetle, which decimates plants in the nightshade family, easily develops resistance to pesticides – multiple modes of action are needed to successfully control CPB infestations, especially in areas with multiple generations.
Calantha is mixed with water and sprayed using standard agricultural practice over crops, at less than one-tenth the rate at which many conventional industrial chemicals are normally used on fields.
“We first ventured out into the fields in 2018 in the U.S. for limited replicate trials. And since then, we must have done several hundred trials around t he world, and this is how we figured out that we need 4 g per acre,” equivalent to a spoonful of sugar spread on an American football field. Consumption of the dsRNA causes the Colorado potato beetle to stop eating and expire from its own toxins.
Highly specific to CPB, the company added that Calantha degrades rapidly in soil and water and does not harm honeybees, butterflies and other nontarget insects or mammals. It controls all stages of the life of the beetle but is most effective on young larvae up to one-quarter inch in length.
In addition to biopesticide development, RNA-based solutions have the potential to enhance plant resilience to abiotic stressors, such as heat and water stress, and can mitigate the effects of plant pathogens like fusarium and botrytis.
GreenLight Bio’s first product, Calantha, is a bioinsecticide based on RNA, designed to target and control Colorado potato beetle.
Photo: GreenLight Biosciences
"One of our products targets fusarium by preventing the fungus from producing mycotoxins, addressing a significant challenge for cereal growers worldwide," Singleton explains. "But RNA technology goes beyond pesticides. It can boost plant immune responses, improve water and nutrient use efficiency, and manage various stressors like heat stress."
Regulatory challenges Calantha is the first GreenLight Bio product to complete U.S. regulatory review and be available for commercial sale. It is also under review by regulators in other key markets around the world.
The company’s journey through the regulatory process has been marked by collaboration and perseverance. Singleton highlights the company's proactive engagement with regulatory agencies, such as the EPA and OECD, to ensure compliance and build confidencein RNA technology.
"As a trailblazer in RNA technology, we faced the challenge of navigating regulatory frameworks that hadn't previously considered this technology," Singleton acknowledges. "Regulators require thorough risk-benefit analyses, and our task is to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of our products.
“They (regulators) were over 48 months into what was then an 18-month process for Calantha, so it didn’t happen really quickly. They spent a lot of time looking at it,” he says. “I would say that the BPPD (Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division), which is the group that worked on our submissions, worked diligently and did a great job of looking at the product. Here we hand them a brand-new technology, all while the number of biologicals going through their hands is going up.”
GreenLight Bio completed several hundred trials aroundthe world of its Calantha product.
The EPA released a decision document detailing its more than four-year review of Calantha’s safety and efficacy data and information submitted by GreenLight Bio, including its response to submissions received during an extensive public comment period. Calantha is the first registration of a foliar-applied product with an RNA ingredient under Section Three of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). This novel RNA-based approach enables Calantha to target the Colorado potato beetle specifically.
In a separate announcement earlier this year, the Insecticide Resistance Action Committee, a global public-private technical advisory group focused on resistance management, acknowledged this novelty by creating a new category, Group 35, for ledprona, the active ingredient in Calantha, in its Mode of Action classification. Calantha is the first GreenLight Bio product to complete U.S. regulatory review and receive regulatory approval.
Further RNAi research and trials While regulatory processes are underway in various other countries, GreenLight Bio remains focused on expanding its portfolio. Calantha is “registered in the U.S. and Ukraine, with submissions in progress for the EU and Canada," Singleton reveals. "We're also developing products for other agricultural pests and diseases, including fungicides and herbicides."
One notable achievement is GreenLight's anti-mite RNA treatment for beehives, addressing the threat posed by the varroa destructor mite. For beekeepers, this invasive, parasitic mite, smaller than a pin head, extracts a big toll from the bees it feeds upon. Varroa mites have plagued beekeepers ever since arriving in the U.S. from Asian honeybees in the mid 1980s, but in recent years, commercially available treatments have lost their efficiency, even as the mite’s viral load increases.
“We have also submitted here in the U.S. for a second product, which is to control varroa mites on honeybees. We’re very excited about the product – it offers tremendous performance at a time when the existing solutions are starting to suffer from resistance,” says Singleton. “We are hoping to hear from the EPA at some point this year. And we are ready to start submissions in other territories around the world for that particular product, including Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, U.S. and Turkey, amongst other countries.”
GreenLight Bio has developed an anti-mite RNA treatmentfor beehives, addressing the threat posed by the varroa destructor mite.
But GreenLight Bio’s research and development doesn’t stop there.
“Our third and fourth products will be fungicidal,” says Singleton. The first will be targeting powdery mildew on grapes, and only grapes at this point. “Powdery mildew affects a lot of species, a lot of plants. But this shows you how specific RNA is – our product is designed to only work on a fungal species that is unique to grapes.”
The company’s fourth product will be a botrytis specialist.
“Following that, we have another acaricide, this one has been designed to be active on two plant-damaging spider mite species, the European red mite and the two-spotted spider mite,” notes Singleton. “That will be the first RNA product that has been designed to work on two species. But only those two species; it doesn’t do any damage to the beneficial spider mites that farmers and growers will release into their crops. So it maintains that ability to be highly selective whilst going after two very relevant spider mites that growers have to deal with.
“And then we have a few other insecticides – thrips is in the early stages of development as well. And we’re also working on using RNA on plant species. So, we have a herbicide product that is in very early stages of development, on horseweed.”
The company is also looking at products that can help regulate the plant’s immune response, such as managing heat stress and mitigating water stress. “That’s an early-stage program as well that we’re looking at – helping the plants with stress and the abiotic stresses they will encounter,” explains Singleton.
“Really, we have a fully fledged portfolio across all of the major indications or categories that a grower will need, and we’re able to do that with our RNA portfolio. This is a technology that I am very excited about because of what it has to offer farmers and growers.” ●
By Janet Kanters
Renaissance BioScience Corp., a pioneering force in agricultural innovation, is making strides with its groundbreaking yeast-based RNA platform technology aimed at revolutionizing pest control.
The company's innovative approach utilizes RNA interference (RNAi) to target specific genes crucial for pest survival or reproduction, offering a precise and environmentally friendly solution to combatagricultural pests.
In 2023, the company received approval from the Government of Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) for its field study application, marking a significant milestone in the development of its RNAi biopesticide delivery technology. Following this, Renaissance conducted rigorous testing, including smaller-scale field trials across several countries, showcasing the effectiveness and potential of its innovative solution.
Last October, Renaissance achieved another milestone when the Chinese Patent Office granted the company its first patent for a yeast that produces RNA bioactive molecules. This recognition underscores the significance of the company's technology in addressing global agricultural challenges.
In a recent interview, John Husnik, PhD, CSO and co-CEO of Renaissance BioScience Corp., shed light on the intricacies of the yeast-based RNA platform technology and the challenges encountered during its development.
John Husnik, PhD, CSO and co-CEO ofRenaissance BioScience Corp.
"Our RNAi platform technology works by harnessing RNA interference to selectively target genes unique to pests, effectively disrupting their reproductive and survival mechanisms," Husnik explains. "Significantly, it also addresses the main historical challenges for RNA which include the instability of the RNA bioactive in the agricultural environment, the cost of producing these molecules, and regulatory concerns about the effects of the delivery technology on the environment.”
Husnik elaborated on how Renaissance overcame these challenges, stating, "We've developed a yeast-based production and delivery platform method, whereby the RNA molecules are produced by the yeast, which is a cost-effective, safe organism that has been used in food and agriculture for millennia.”
This addresses the challenge of RNA instability because the yeast acts as a coat of armour, protecting these molecules from environmental degradation. It also addresses the issue of cost, because yeast can be manufactured using traditional, established fermentation facilities, rather than requiring de novo synthesis.
“Importantly, our yeast is inactivated and can be stored at room temperature and applied to plants using standard equipment,” Husnik says. “These benefits eliminate the requirement for novel methods of storage or application techniques.
“In terms of the regulatory challenges, because our yeast is inactivated, the only bioactive ingredient is the RNAi, which is very specific and does not affect non-target organisms, and will degrade naturally in the environment,” he adds. “Our lab and field trial data validate our system as a robust and cost-effective RNAi delivery method.”
Renaissance's collaboration with Certis Belchim to develop an RNAi-based biopesticide underscores the industry's confidence in the technology's potential. Although the specific target pest remains undisclosed, Husnik discussed the technology's broad applicability in addressing agricultural pests.
Renaissance has developed a yeast-based production and delivery platform method, whereby the RNA molecules are produced by the yeast.
Photo: Renaissance BioScience
“Because our technology is a plug-and-play system and can be designed to target a specific insect based on the sequence of the RNAi bioactive molecule, we have the capability of targeting a wide array of crop pests provided it chews,” Husnik says. “In addition to our in-house target list of pests of interest, we’re also forming strategic partnerships with key industry players to develop tailored RNAi production and delivery systems for their specific pest challenges.”
Husnik adds the company is also currently applying its yeast expertise to develop yeast-based orally delivered vaccines for livestock such as pigs, cattle, and poultry and aquaculture that are delivered through consumption in feed. “This technology can also be applied to deliver immune support bioactives, vitamins and minerals to livestock
and aquaculture through oral delivery in feed.”
Looking ahead for the RNAi biopesticide innovation, Husnik expressed optimism about the technology's market prospects, citing the pressing need for innovative pest management solutions to enhance food security. According to estimates from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), up to 40 percent of global crop production is lost annually due to pests and $70 billion is lost due to invasive insects.
“There is an urgent need for effective, innovative and environmentally friendly pest management strategies and solutions to address crop destruction and yield reductions,” he notes. “We believe there is a significant market opportunity for
our technology. Our aim is to continue working with industry leaders to develop crop protection solutions to improve food security by providing a healthier, safer alternative to chemical solutions currently in the market.” ●
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have developed a plan to update, streamline, and clarify their regulations and oversight mechanisms for products of biotechnology.
The plan was created in response to U.S. President Joe Biden’s Executive Order 14081, “Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy,”
The plan incorporates processes and timelines to implement regulatory reform, such as identifying guidance and regulations to update, streamline or clarify, and identifying the potential need for new guidance or regulations.
The agencies have identified five major areas of biotechnology product regulation where these actions will focus:
Modified plants
Modified animals
Modified microorganisms
Human drugs, biologics, and medical devices
Cross-cutting issues
EPA, the FDA and USDA intendto implement the following joint efforts:
clarify and streamline regulatory oversight for genetically engineered (GE) plants, animals and microorganisms;
update and expand their information sharing through an MOU to improve and broaden communication and coordination of oversight of modified microbes; and
undertake a pilot project focused on modified microbes to explore and consider the feasibility and costs of developing a web-based tool that informs developers about which agency may regulate a given product category.
The U.S. Government established the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology in 1986 and most recently updated it in 2017. It describes the comprehensive federal regulatory policy for ensuring the safety of biotechnology products, including how EPA, the FDA and USDA share responsibility for regulating many of the products of biotechnology in the United States. The Executive Order directs the three agencies to improve how they implement the Coordinated Framework.
In response to the Executive Order, the three regulatory Agencies, in consultation with the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), issued a Request for Information (RFI) to the public to solicit information on regulatory ambiguities, gaps, uncertainties, or inefficiencies in the Coordinated Framework. The agencies received 88 distinct public comments, including a sign-on letter from over 6,000 members from biotechnology developers, producers, manufacturers, non-governmental organizations, and academia. The Agencies will continue to engage with all interested stakeholders as they implement the plan. ●
Yellow and blue cards are strewn across Peter Leppan’s farm in George, South Africa, adorning fences and trees, giving the distinct impression of support for the Ukrainians in their fight against Russian invasion. “The locals think I’m a war activist,” Leppan laughs.
Those familiar with biological crop protection would know that the cards are involved in a wholly different war – that on crop pests. The sticky cards serve not only to catch aphids and other crop pests but serve as a monitoring system for threshold numbers. Without biological interventions and the training he received from Woolworths, the supermarket group who buys his vegetables, Leppan states categorically that he would not be farming today. “It’s not even a question. The amount of synthetic chemicals that are allowed to be used today for crop protection, is a third of what it was five years ago. Without biologicals I’d have nothing to keep my crop alive.”
But even so, Leppan laments that the biologicals industry in South Africa is far from providing a full solution for integrated pest management (IPM). “It’s improved vastly in the last five years, but between the inept regulatory environment suppressing a greater range of products, and the lack of in-depth knowledge needed for biological control, we will struggle to achieve and fully harness biological control.”
Regulatory hold up Biological products in South Africa are regulated under the Fertiliser, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act (Act 36 of 1947) – the same Act which governs conventional agricultural products. This means biologicals need to undergo the same testing procedure as synthetic chemicals before they can be registered for use inSouth Africa.
“Herein lies the problem,” says Alison Levesley, general manager of the South African Bioproduct Organisation (SABO). “Biological products, including biologics and biopesticides, often work differently to conventional chemical products since they are derived from living organisms or contain components thereof. They also have more complex mechanisms of action and interactions within the environment. But despite these differences, biological products need to meet the same criteria as a conventional chemical product prior to release and use on the market.”
She notes that while regulatory requirements and assessments are a vital component to ensure safety, efficacy and quality standards of products used in agriculture, it is also important that the requirements are not so onerous that beneficial products do not reach the market. “Some regulatory requirements necessary for chemical products are not feasible or applicable for a biological product, due to the differences in their modes of action, potency and complexity.”
Alison Levesley, general manager of the South African Bioproduct Organisation, is part of a team working to streamline regulations of biologicals in South Africa to speed up the registration process.
Levesley believes that regulatory issues are as a result of limitations in the understanding of biological solutions, by various stakeholders. “Being a ‘new’ form of technology, pioneer biological companies have had to go through a long process to educate users and regulators, and prove the uniqueness of the products. Knowledge transfer takes time and governments are understandably cautious when it comes to new technology.”
Added to the mix is the mounting pressure governments all over the world face to ensure that they maintain the trust the public has in their ability to only grant approvals for products that are safe for consumers and the environment. Levesley says that while this is understandable, product developers and growers need solutions.
The relentless push towards a review of the system by both SABO and CropLife South Africa is however bearing fruit. In August last year a draft regulation was published that will hopefully improve the registration process for biologicals, aligning them with international standards.
“South Africa was in a vastly different situation last year. Change takes time, but we are moving in the right direction with these regulations,” says Levesley.
Roleen le Grande, regulatory manager at CropLife South Africa, explains that the new registration guidelines will be specific to the different types of products like semiochemicals, plant extracts, microbials and macrobials. “For example, a semiochemical-based product containing a pheromone may require only pest-specific data, and not necessarily crop-specific data.”
She however notes that a data waiver would not always be warranted just because a product is biological, as it is not by default safer than conventional pesticides.
The draft regulation is also likely to remove many synthetic chemicals from the register, making it prudent that biological companies step in to fill the void. This however brings the industry to another major hurdle: a two-year backlog in registrations, bringing the average time for a
product to be registered tofive years.
South African vegetable production has already benefited from biostimulants and biopesticides. But far more potential exists in this market if regulatory hurdles can be overcome.
Photo: Lindi Botha
Levesley explains this backlog is compounded by the fact that registrations for certain synthetic chemicals have been removed. “Growers are increasingly looking for new, greener solutions – many of which are not yet approved and available for use.”
Recognising the problem that the backlog poses for the industry, Linda Page, chief director of strategic communication at the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, says the department has, as per the draft regulation, proposed an expedited process for low-risk agricultural remedies. This would include biopesticides, and would reduce the registration time to between three and 18 months. The department is also in the process of increasing staff working on registrations, to clear the backlog.
Help from the value chain A wide variety of products is however of little use if farmers do not understand how to use them.
“I have no doubt that biological pest control works, but I’m still trying to figure out how it works to get the best results,” says Leppan.
Kobus Pienaar, technical manager for food security at Woolworths, has spent the better half of his life working with farmers who deliver fresh produce to Woolworths. Under their Farming for the Future (FFF) programme, farmers are assisted in applying sustainable farm management techniques. While the MRLs (maximum residue levels) on Woolworths products currently fall within the legal limits, they are working towards zero MRLs.
While Pienaar believes this is possible with the current array of biological products available, it was the knowledge of best application that was lacking. The supermarket group has therefore stepped in to assist farmers in their biological journey, linking them with knowledgeable input suppliers, and providing tailor-made cultivation programmes that takes their farm’s unique circumstances into account.
Pienaar believes the industry still has a long way to go in fully understanding pest life cycles. “We need better monitoring systems and artificial intelligence that can predict outbreaks of pests so farmers can apply beneficial insects on time. We also need to understand how to achieve the optimum balance between beneficial insects and pests.
“The challenge is that biologicals do not offer a one-size-fits-all approach,” he adds. “Biopesticides do not eradicate 100 percent of the pests, and farmers need to individually determine economic thresholds for their farm.”
Both Pienaar and Leppan believe the industry at large is lacking in knowledgeable experts who can guide farmers objectively in this regard. “Sales representatives drive sales and not necessarily the correct application of products. Farmers need people who really understand insects and can make personalised recommendations,” says Leppan.
Of concern is that farmers are reluctant to try new production techniques when the economical impact is not fully understood. Pienaar believes that experimental farms are needed where farmers can observe firsthand howproducts should be used, andtheir success rates.
South Africa trails behind countries like those in Europe, where biological crop production is possible to a greater extentthanks to a well-developed sector.
Race to the market South Africa’s fresh produce crop has a diverse market. While vegetables are mostly sold to local markets, the majority of fruit is exported. With the European Union (EU) being the biggest market, South African farmers are beholden to their regulations. And since this lucrative market is serviced by multiple competing countries, South African farmers face a disadvantage in both regards since access to biological tools are comparatively limited.
Pienaar states that the EU, and other first world countries, have a far bigger variety of biological crop production products. Although he believes South Africa is making progress, but the gap is still large.
Further north, Kenya presents one of South Africa’s biggest competitors for market space in the EU. While South Africa has always been the market leader in Africa in terms of food production and new technology applications, Kenya has leaped ahead in the biological’s domain. Around 30 percent of fresh produce growers in Kenya use biological products, compared to only eight percent in South Africa.
Eric Kimunguyi, CEO of CropLife Kenya, says although biologicals are also regulated under the same laws that govern synthetic chemicals, the country has long had a waiver in place for low risk products, fast tracking them to market. While data from a three-season efficacy trial is needed, products for a ‘quick’ crop like tomatoes can be registered within 18 months.
To further increase the use of biological remedies, Kimunguyi says Kenya is evaluating more data waivers to fast track their route to market. He believes regional harmonisation in terms of data sharing and regulation will play a big role if countries in southern Africa can work together.
Pienaar has faith in pooling resources to boost registration of products, and market uptake. “South Africa has some of the best farmers in the world. They thrive in an environment with regulatory challenges. If South Africa can optimise biological product evaluation and implementation,it will hold massive benefits forthe rest of Africa if we worktogether. Herein lies hugepotential for companies investingin this sector.” ●
A University of the Sunshine Coast (Australia) researcher is using arachnid venom to help farmers fight locusts, after being awarded an AU$240,000 Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship.
Over the next three years, Dr. Shaodong Guo will investigate hundreds of spider and scorpion venoms for chemical compounds to develop into a commercial insecticide to protect crops.
“We are one of the few labs in the world experimenting with oral ingestion of venoms. We now have the world's largest arachnid venom collection – comprising more than 750 species from around the globe – at our disposal at UniSC,” Guo said.
“We have some initial data on 200 venoms we’ve previously investigated in relation to crickets, cockroaches and dipterans, so we’ll start there. Most of those are tarantula venoms. There’s also some Sydney and Tasmanian funnel-web spiders and 20-or-so different scorpion in there too.”
Once they’ve compiled a shortlist of the most promising and potent venoms, Guo and the research team will identify and isolate the specific chemicals within them that attack the locusts.
This step, he says, is crucial to minimizing potential harm to non-target species. “Venoms are incredibly complex, containing different peptides for different jobs,” Guo said. “The peptides that harm prey, like locusts, work by targeting the ion channels in their central nervous system. This means they can be utilized for targeting specific insect pests – without affecting beneficial insects and vertebrate animals.
“We’ll also be researching any potential effects on bees – specifically memory loss – which is actually a problem with a lot of current chemical pesticides,”he added.
Several chemical pesticides already exist to treat locusts, but their poor selectivity and lingering ‘half-life’ which can last weeks, even months, means they must be used with caution, noted Guo, who added he believes a toxin-based alternative, could offer a significantly better environmental outcome.
“Venom peptides are highly potent, actually more so than most chemical pesticides. But they’re also fully biodegradable and have zero-day preharvest interval (PHI), which means they can be applied to a crop on the same day of harvest. They finish the job, then break down.”
Once they’ve isolated the relevant peptides and synthesized them, Guo says testing will move from locusts in the lab, to the greenhouse.
“Our industry partner, the Colere Group, is helping us with agricultural testing. Once we think we’ve got a viable insecticide, we’ll work with them to trial it on plants in a greenhouse setting,” Guo said.
But even with promising initial results, it might still be some years before farmers can pop down to their local agricultural supply store and buy a bottle of spider or scorpion spray.
“This is all still very new. There’s only one venom pesticide – derived from Australia’s Blue Mountains funnel webs – that’s been developed commercially and approved for use in America. Two more are in development,” Guo said. ●
Venom from tarantulas, funnel web spiders and scorpions are some of those being explored by the research. Photo: University of the Sunshine Coast
