It’s one of the biggest challenges facing the environment and farmers across the globe – pest control.
It’s one of the biggest challenges facing the environment and farmers across the globe – pest control.
But now, University of Queensland scientists have developed an environmentally friendly spray which could prove to be a game-changer for the agricultural industry.
The breakthrough is part of UQ’s BioClay™ technology, a safe and sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides, which has been developed over the past decade by Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) and the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN).
Research team leader Professor Neena Mitter said it was an important development for crop protection because it was effective against whitefly (Bemisia tabaci), a small insect responsible for the loss of billions of dollars in agricultural crops around the world.
“Silverleaf whitefly (SLW) is considered an invasive species in the United States, Australia, Africa, and several European countries, and it attacks more than 500 plant species including cotton, pulses, chilli, capsicum, and many other vegetable crops,” Professor Mitter said.
Read more at: University of Queensland
Photo Credit: Nature_Design via Pixabay
