Scientists also developed sustainable materials for the controlled release of agrochemicals Embrapa has two new technological assets aimed at the market for agricultural chemicals available: a natural formula against nematodes and another one for the controlled release of products. The two technologies, which are at intermediary stages of development, use residue from the biofuel and cellulose production chains as raw materials. The corporation now seeks partners for the next stages of development, to be perfomerd jointly with Embrapa Agroenergy and Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology. The first technology takes advantage of the residue from the extration of oil from grains to obtain extracts that can control nematodes, especially from the Meloidogyne genus, which threaten productivity in croplands in Brazil and in the world. Estimates of the Brazilian Nematology Society point that the damage caused by nematodes to agriculture nears R$ 35 billion, half of which in soybean crops alone. The researcher Vera Polez, from Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, explains that controlling nematodes is difficult and requires the constant renewal of products used for that end, since the organisms end up developing resistance. In Brazil, such control primarily uses chemicals, which potentially cause damages to the environment and to human and animal health. Natural nematocide, lower environmental impact The first tests, conducted in laboratory by Polez and the researcher Thales Lima Rocha, proved that the natural extracts obtained by Embrapa have nematocidal and nematostatic effects. This means that they are capable of controlling the nematode population or of paralyzing them so as to reduce the infestation and prevent damages to production. The researcher Clenilson Rodrigues, from Embrapa Agroenergy, explains that the first advantage of the extracts as opposed to the products already available in the market is the fact they are plant-based and not of petrochemical origin. “We want to place a natural product that is more specific in the fields. Synthetic nematocides normally have a broad spectrum and end up affecting microbiota that the plant species need to develop. In the end, they hence eliminate other organisms that could help crop development, and contaminate soils, groundwater, etc”, he explains. Polez adds that there is a world trend to use green technologies, which cause lower impact on the environment. “There are many strategies for this and one of them is to use natural products, explore the biodiversity”, she points out. Besides working with the extract itself, another possibility is to make small modifications to the chemical structure of the active principle in order to potentialize the nematocidal activity. “To find such alternative, we are developing isolation processes to get to the active principle, which will be used as a precursory molecule to be included in functional groups that will give the product higher efficiency and specificityon top of the stability required to be applied in the fields”, Clenilson states. To that end, the workgroup is already at an advanced stage of developing the processes involved in the separation of active compounds. Lignin for the controlled release of products The second technology for the market of agrochemicals uses a residue that is abundant in Brazil: kraft lignin, generated by the paper and cellulose industry. With this material, the researchers managed to microencapsulate a compound for integrated pest management, so that it can slowly be released in the field. The advantage of this technology over the ones already available in the market for the controlled release of products is the use of an abundant raw material that is residual and thus low-cost. The researcher Silvio Vaz Júnior, from Embrapa Agroenergy, also stresses that the team developed a simple process to facilitate industrial production. “What we are proposing is to consider lignin as basis for the slow release of products in the field. It is a residue that has a low market value and has good properties for microencapsulation and nanoencapsulation like, for instance, easy interaction with semiochemical molecules”, Vaz asserts. Semiochemicals are substances produced by living beings and used by them for communication, such as pheromones, for example. In the trials with the technology, Embrapa used a substance within such category, cis-jasmone. The researcher Maria Carolina Blassioli Moraes, from Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, reports that, although it is not used commercially yet, the compound is already known to be capable of attracting the natural enemies of the insects that harm the crops, controlling populations without using toxic products. In the lab tests, the researchers measured the amount of cis-jasmone released daily for 30 days and verified that the microencapsulation with lignin could keep the release of the product steady, as expected. They also conducted field tests, spreading traps with microencapsulated cis-jasmone in a cotton plantation. The experiment verified that the desired natural enemies were effectively attracted to the area. Besides Embrapa Agroenergy and Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, this study counted on contributions from the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) and funds from the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes). According to Moraes, agriculture needs new technologies for the controlled release of products aimed at integrated pest management. Nowadays the materials more often used for this purpose are made of rubber, and while they work well, they have their limitations. The main challenge is releasing different molecules to the same ratios and as efficiently as living beings do in nature. The market for semiochemicals is in expansion. Estimates point that the use of pheromones worldwide reached a market value above 300 million dollars in 2013. In Brazil, there is not enough data available, but the growth in the number of companies working with semiochemicals indicates an increase in consumption among farmers. Showcase of technologies Both the natural nematocide and the formula for the controlled release of kraft lignin are at Embrapa Agroenergy's Technology Showcase and they integrate the axis “Chemistry of Renewable Resources” of the Unit's research portfolio. The general head Guy de Capdeville stresses that the Unit works beyond the scope of agroenergy, as it develops solutions for the efficient and sustainable conversion of biomass into biofuels, chemical products from renewable sources, and biomaterials. Like Chemistry of Renewable Resources, there are other axes of research and development: Biomass for Industrial purposes, Industrial Biotechnology, and Renewable Materials. To receive the full catalogue of the Technology Showcase, access the page to fill in a contact form. Companies that are interested in the technologies can contact the institution through the website or the telephone number +55 61 3448-1581. Translation: Mariana Medeiros