H2020 DISPERzero Project: High-performance microgranulated biopesticides for plant protection.

Biopesticides can increase the global food supply by making agriculture greener, safer, and more efficient. Innovative natural products developed in the European Union avoid the harmful impacts associated with synthetic pesticides. Currently, up to 35% of agricultural yield losses are due to pests, so overcoming this problem would greatly help increase the global food supply. Since the 1930s, synthetic pesticides have been widely used in attempts to combat pests, but they come with a wide range of environmental, ecological, and health problems. These range from skin irritations to damage to the nervous system, along with fertility problems and, in some rare cases, even death.

The European Union has been taking crucial steps to improve the regulation and use of pesticides; many have been banned from the market. New solutions are needed. Another promising approach lies in "biopesticides," products with lower toxicity that break down easily in the environment. The DISPERzero project, led by the Spanish company Indalva, is working to bring a new range of biopesticides to market with an innovative technology, creating insecticides and fungicides that have no negative impacts on human health or the environment.

“The main objective of the DISPERzero project is the commercial development of a range of four biopesticides formulated with a special technology,” says Pablo Baeza, Technical Director of DISPER at Indalva and coordinator of the DISPERzero project. These include a broad-spectrum fungicide, a fungicide for powdery mildew (oidium), a broad-spectrum insecticide, and an acaricide (a pesticide used primarily against mites). According to Baeza, the products offer advantages both at the environmental and human health levels. They offer reduced transport pollution while improving user safety, with no risk of inhalation and guaranteed 100% solubility. A natural solution Biopesticides are plant protection products developed from natural compounds. Therefore, they are free of any substances that could cause harm to farmers or end consumers. “In the short term, the effectiveness of biopesticides may be slightly lower than that of synthetic pesticides, as they do not generate such a severe shock effect.” But in the medium and long term, the benefit to agricultural productivity is immense.

They prevent soil degradation, respect auxiliary fauna, and reduce pest resistance, unlike synthetic pesticides,” says Baeza. Smart Granules The DISPERzero team has developed an innovative technology, known only as WSG-FB, that allows for the creation of biopesticides in solid granules. These granules offer several advantages. Compared to liquids, the volume of product transported can be reduced, which lowers the associated environmental and economic costs. They are simple to apply, and the dosage of each product can also be reduced. Plastic waste associated with other pesticide products can be eliminated, and since they do not contain water, product preservation is guaranteed. Biopesticide granules do not generate dust, which reduces the risk of inhalation by the farmer during handling. “They have a unique self-dissolving mechanism that ensures the product does not form lumps or precipitates during use, thus keeping irrigation equipment in perfect condition,” explains Baeza.

The biopesticide market is valued at approximately €2.4 billion and is expected to grow by an average of 14.1% annually until 2025. "We are currently in the chemical and agronomic development phase of other products to address crop-specific pests and diseases, with the goal of continuing to offer sustainable tools to farmers," says Baeza.