Exosect, a leading provider of environmentally conscious insect pest control has announced a further agreement with global crop protection specialist, Intrachem Bio to research the capacity of Exosect's innovative powder platforms to control a variety of pests.

Focusing on integrated pest management (IPM) and biological control, Intrachem Bio is working in collaboration with UK based company, Exosect to develop IPM solutions using biologicals that can control the population of a wide range of insect pests.

Managing Director at Exosect, Martin Brown, states "There is a huge potential for the use of biologicals to control pests in the agricultural industry. Our platform technology can be used to control a vast number of insects simply by altering the active ingredient and lure present. To this point, we have developed our targeted delivery systems with semio-chemicals and traditional pesticides and in all cases we have reduced the need for blanket crop applications thus vastly reducing the amount of active ingredient used within the crop. The next logical step is to develop our technology with biological active ingredients and preliminary laboratory studies have proved very promising."

Comments Managing Director at Intrachem Bio, Massimo Toni. "We are happy to be expanding our existing relationship with Exosect to encompass the development of biologicals, which can be used as part of an environmentally friendly integrated pest management approach to pest control. This development programme is clearly the right approach to assist growers with viable alternatives to current pesticide programmes and alternative methods of delivering biologicals "

In addition to its work with active ingredients, Exosect has also extended its agreement with Intrachem Bio to include trial sites for Exosex CM in Germany as well as Italy.

Exosex CM requires only 25 dispensers per hectare each of which contain a synthetic female Codling moth pheromone, which is formulated with Exosect's unique and natural Entostat powder. The system works by luring males into the dispensers using the female pheromone, once they enter, the Entostat powder adheres strongly to the bodies of the male. The sensors of the coated moths are overwhelmed which means that they are unable to detect females, and therefore they do not mate. They also act as a false lure for other moths and the mating cycle is disrupted resulting in fewer caterpillars emerging to cause apple and pear damage.
The technique is simple and helps to reduce the use of chemical spraying.

Exosect Limited was formed in 2001 to commercialise patented innovative pest control technology. Focussing primarily on R&D, Exosect has developed a range of delivery systems based on the concept of attractants and active ingredients, including biologicals, formulated with patented powder carrier systems. Specialising in IPM based, environmentally acceptable pest control products, markets include crop protection (agriculture and horticulture), stored product, amenity landscape and public health. More on Exosect: www.exosect.com