SUSPHIRE (Sustainable Bioproduction of Pheromones for Insect Pest Control in Agriculture) is a European project coordinated by the IBMCP (mixed center CSIC-UPV) in which different European groups and the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA) participate, through of doctors Jose F. Marcos and Paloma Manzanares, researchers from the Department of Food Biotechnology.
The project has a funding of 1.6 million euros and is based on the use of synthetic biology techniques to produce sex pheromones of insects in plant and fungal biofactories. Insect pests are increasing due to climate change, and I can cause a reduction of up to 80% in the yield of crops. The pheromones bioproduced fear the SUSPHIRE project may be a safer and more sustainable alternative to current pesticides, reducing the negative impact of agriculture on the environment.
More information here and on the website of the SUSPHIRE project.