InternationalFachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e. V.

 

BBI 2018.SO3.D4

Produce biopesticides or bio-based fertilisers as components of sustainable agricultural management plans (IA-DA)

Specific challenge: Biopesticides are pesticides derived from natural materials such as animals, plants, bacteria and certain minerals.40 They can improve the management of pests for sustainable agricultural management programmes, by combatting only the targeted pest and closely related organisms, making them sometimes more selective than conventional pesticides. If in addition they are effective in small quantities and decompose quickly, they can greatly reduce the use of conventional (synthetic) pesticides.
The components that can be used to produce biopesticides have also anti-pathogenic capabilities: they are able to prevent biomass degradation by fungi, bacteria or other kinds of pathogenic agents. Upscaling their use for biopesticides requires sustainable supply and optimum production.
Sustainable agricultural management programmes also entail the supply of nutrients to crops. The existing supply of nutrients can be expanded and diversified by tapping side streams from bio-based operations. These streams are nutrient-rich and moreover, are a zero-ILUC (indirect land use change) feedstock for fertilisers, nutrients and plant biostimulants. However, current practice is to spread them on the land with little pre-treatment. This practice is wasting a potentially valuable resource and is often not the most effective and efficient way to add nutrients and carbon to the soil. Further development work is needed to optimise the separation and purification of these streams and expand their use in nutrient mixtures for the targeted soil conditions.
Sustainable agricultural management can greatly benefit from the contribution of new, bio-based pesticides and fertilisers.
The specific challenge of this topic is to overcome hurdles in the production of biopesticides and bio-based fertilisers to benefit sustainable agricultural management.

Identifier:BBI 2018.SO3.D4

Deadline:  06.09.2018