Unlocking the promise of protein-based biocontrols for crop protection
Patrice Sellès , CEO of Biotalys , and Paolo Tubertini , CEO of Olon , discuss the potential of a new class of biocontrols
For many reasons , today ’ s global agricultural practices are unsustainable . According to the World Food Programme , enough food is produced to feed everyone on the planet , yet over 800 million people — or more than 10 % of the world ’ s population — go to bed hungry each night . 1 Research shows that we are continuing to head in the wrong direction , as access to safe , nutritious and sufficient food becomes even more difficult for populations around the world . 2 Meanwhile , food
Tubertini - Evoca will reduce dependency on chemical pesticides production is creating more than one third of the world ’ s greenhouse gases and is now the primary driver of biodiversity loss on land . 3 A dramatic , worldwide reform is needed to reverse these troubling trends and achieve a sustainable , zero-hunger future . It begins with what we put into our soil and onto our plants .
Reshaping the cheap food paradigm
Historically , farming practices were driven by the ‘ cheap food paradigm ’ of growing more food , in less time and in the cheapest way possible . The use of chemical pesticides to control various pests and plant diseases made this achievable for a time , but at a high cost to human , animal and environmental health . Chemical residues coat the produce we eat , as pathogen resistance drives the need for even higher application dosages . Fortunately , the push for safer , more nature-friendly and biodiversitysupporting farming practices has grown stronger in recent years . And today , we are poised for a new era of sustainable agricultural and food practices as protein-based biocontrols become a viable tool for integrated pest management ( IPM ) programmes . Proteins derived from nature , specifically the naturally occurring antibodies that attack diseases within llamas , have been proven to fight off plant disease . When applied
Olon ’ s fermentation plant at Settimo Torinese
44 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE