Chemical insecticides are harmful to bees, the environment, and can cause health problems in humans. Imidacloprid, a pesticide used to protect wheat crops, can be replaced with natural substances. Scientists at the Senckenberg German Entomological Institute in Müncheberg, in collaboration with researchers from Agaruniversity Pakistan and Agaruniversity Athens, have developed a new approach that could replace the insecticide Imidacloprid. The scientists have conducted laboratory experiments to determine whether natural substances can replace the pesticide. They found that a combination of fungi and silica provides the best results and has the highest mortality rates against all tested pests in the first 90 days.
In agriculture and storage, harmful insects are mainly controlled with insecticides. However, the European Union has banned the use of some particularly controversial pesticides because they harm the environment, reduce ant colonies, kill bees, and can cause health problems in humans. Therefore, scientists are looking for safe but effective alternatives to conventional pesticides. One of the alternatives being explored is pheromones, which are messenger substances for information transfer. The scientists have found that a combination of fungi and silica can replace Imidacloprid, which is mainly used to protect harvested wheat but is harmful to birds and bees.
The high effectiveness of the natural substance combination is due to the fact that the spores of the Beauveria fungus attach to the skin of the pests and penetrate them after germination. The fungi spread throughout the host’s body and kill it from the inside. However, the parasitic fungus is harmless to humans and other vertebrates. The additional use of silica leads to injuries and dehydration of the insects. The long-term study shows that the natural substance combination is suitable for protecting longer-stored grains and can replace chemical insecticides. This new approach could help reduce the negative impact of pesticides on the environment and human health.
