‘Biodirected pesticides’ classified as non-GMO launched in Brazil by CTNBio

New ″biodirected pesticides″ to control insects and classified as non-genetically modified (GMO) were launched in Brazil by the National Technical Commission on Biosafety (CTNBio).

The technology is classified as Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design (SsbD) and was developed by WIN, an innovation arm of Semper AgTech, in partnership with Embrapa.

The solution was designed to ″precisely control target pests and without affecting any other living organism.″

The sprayable product, which is based on a double-stranded RNA molecule, controls brown bugs (Euschistus heros) and green-bellied bugs (Diceraeus melacanthus), which cause significant damage to soybean and corn crops.

Farmers currently spend more than R$6 billion per year to attempt to control these pests in their crops.

Biodirected pesticides are based on the genome of their targeted organism.

″Today, there is no insecticidal agent with a molecule that has double-stranded RNA as the active principle and that is sprayable to kill bedbugs,″ said Hugo Molinari (Director of Research, Development, and Innovation, PD&I, at WIN).

According to Molinari, the product is safe because ″it is harmless to plants and any other organism, such as bees, fish and even human beings, whether workers in the fields or consumers. Nor does it contaminate the water of rivers and dams.″

″We believe that producers will enjoy having a new alternative to agrochemicals for controlling problems in the field. In addition, both consumers and producers no longer want food with residues. Some crops receive 20 to 30 applications in the same season so invasive pests are controlled, and this causes a series of related problems,″ he said.

Molinari added that another advantage of the biodirected pesticide is the reduced need for spraying.

″Fewer machines spraying mean lower costs and lower greenhouse gas emissions. It is an impact that we have not even calculated yet, but the use of a safe product has a series of consequences,″ he said.

He also noted the problem of drift during spraying, which occurs when the product's trajectory deviates during application and causes inefficiency in the use of the input, as well as contamination of areas close to the crop.

″With this product, drift will be a thing of the past,″ Molinari stressed, affirming that the new pesticide will be well received in organic agriculture.

The CTNBio opinion revealed in early February could lead to the creation of a new class of pesticides and change the course of agriculture in Brazil, he further added, stating, ″CTNBio's response, which is line with Normative Resolution No.16 as a non-genetically modified organism, is a considerable advancement, a disruptive innovation.″

He explained that the next step will be to work with the competent body, such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply (MAPA), providing all the information and documentation necessary to obtain registration.

″It will allow the registration of a safe product and at a much more competitive price compared to an insecticide considered a genetically modified organism used for this purpose,″ he said.

The commercial launch of the product is expected to be in three years. The research work began in 2015 and it will soon enter into production on a large scale. To implement this phase, WIN seeks partnerships in different areas of activity.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)