Description du projet
Un moyen naturel de se protéger contre la chrysomèle des racines du maïs
La chrysomèle occidentale des racines du maïs (CRM) est un organisme envahissant qui constitue une menace pour la production européenne de maïs. Malheureusement, il n’existe pas de protection efficace après l’interdiction des néonicotinoïdes toxiques. C’est pourquoi l’entreprise autrichienne LITHOS a développé et breveté CornProtect, une solution biologique et très efficace contre la CRM. Elle est également naturelle, non toxique et inoffensive pour tous les autres organismes et l’environnement. Le projet CORNPROTECT, financé par l’UE, favorisera le déploiement commercial du produit en optimisant la formulation actuelle et en l’enregistrant comme produit phytopharmaceutique de l’UE. La prochaine étape consistera à augmenter la production et à valider le produit sur le marché de l’UE.
Objectif
The Western Corn Rootworm (WCR) is a pest that has turned into a major threat to Europe’s corn production. WCR has
spread to most of South East and Central Europe, affecting now 7 million hectares (37% of the European corn cultivation).
With an average yield/hectare of €1,800 and damage potential between 20 and 80%, possible yield losses amount to
€2,52-10,08 billion.
After the ban of the highly toxic neonicotinoids within the EU, there is currently no effective protection against the WCR. Due
to a lack of other solutions, today some unspecific chemical pesticides are marketed and used against the WCR with very
limited effectiveness. To make it worse, these products are toxic and harmful for the environment and for beneficial insects
(like bees).
LITHOS has developed and patented CORNPROTECT, a biological and highly effective solution for protecting corn against
WCR. It works target specific due to the release of the specific pheromone of the WCR. As a natural solution it is absolutely
non-toxic and harmless for all other organisms and the environment. The specific combination of the pheromone and a
highly porous mineral (zeolite) as a carrier allows a slow release of the pheromone and mating disruption over the active
period of WCR adults. It’s also easy to use and affordable (costs to farmers are € 50/hectar, similar to conventional
solutions). CORNPROTECT can be used in conventional and organic farming.
The main objective for LITHOS in this phase 2 project is to bridge the remaining gap to commercial deployment by
optimizing the current formulation, registering CORNPROTECT as EU plant protection product, scaling up existing
production, and validating the product in the EU market.
Champ scientifique
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagricultureagronomyplant protection
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturesustainable agriculture
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryinorganic compounds
- natural sciencesbiological scienceszoologyentomology
Programme(s)
Régime de financement
SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2Coordinateur
4482 ENNSDORF
Autriche
L’entreprise s’est définie comme une PME (petite et moyenne entreprise) au moment de la signature de la convention de subvention.