Developing a new multi-site pesticide to reduce copper application rates

Offentlig prosjektsammendrag

Copper (Cu) in various forms has been used to prevent and treat fungal and bacterial infections in crops for more than a century. NORDOX has been producing pesticides based on cuprous oxide (Cu2O) for more than 70 years, and our products are known worldwide for high quality and efficacy against a diverse array of fungi/bacteria in most crops. The active ingredient in Cu-based pesticides is cupric ions (Cu++), which are naturally liberated from pesticides in the presence of water and air. Unlike plants and animals, fungi and bacteria lack the ability to control the uptake of Cu++ ions, and this accumulation leads to the disruption of multiple structural and physiological cellular processes and ultimately cell death. While pathogens tend to rapidly evolve resistance to synthetic pesticides with single-site mechanisms of action, the evolution of pathogen resistance to Cu++ ions is unlikely because of the non-specific (multi-site) nature of cellular toxicity. For this reason, synthetic pesticides are constantly being removed from the market and Cu-based pesticides will continue to be increasingly important tools for crop management programs worldwide. Copper is a heavy metal, and in years past, its unregulated use as a foliar-applied pesticide led to soil accumulation in some intensively cultivated regions. Over the last 30 years, the use of Cu pesticides has been regulated to reduce the potential for soil accumulation, and future regulations are expected to further limit Cu pesticide application rates. The current and future regulatory landscape has fueled our work at NORDOX AS to develop Cu2O-based pesticides that exhibit high efficacy at lower rates of Cu. This R&D project is focused on developing a new Cu2O-based pesticide that will be effective at preventing and controlling bacterial and fungal crop pathogens with very low copper application rates resulting in an environmentally friendly and economical product.