Less chemistry on a plate. Technology from Poland can reduce the use of pesticides

Plant protection products are used all over the world. Crops are threatened by insects, fungi and other microorganisms. In the absence of the use of appropriate measuresoin crops can be very poor. In more developed countries, this means less profit for the farmeroin, but in someoIn other parts of the globe, lower crop yields simply mean a head of the cropod.

However, currently pesticides are used preventively. Just in case. The farmer has no knowledge of what threatens his crops, so he uses a solution that protects against all known threats, and at the highest allowable doses. And this is what the Lublin-based Nexbio company wants to change.

The technology developed by the company will help the farmer recognize the threat and apply to it the right protection measures in the right quantity. The technology is based on DNA analysis. Such analysis is already possible in the laboratory, but no one expects a farmer to send probki for analysis, since it can apply pesticides. That’s why Nexbio is working on a mobile laboratory, thanks to whichoremu the farmer will moI have been working in biotechnology for a few years nowob identify the threat and select appropriate measures.

– I am a scientist and have been involved in biotechnology for quite a few years now. At a time when I was doing major research for a tycoonoIn the field of agent productionoin plant protection, I saw a problem. Namely, it turned out, for example, that certain substances, whichore to protect plants, rowere doing poorly. Once they had an effective effect on plant diseases, other times this protection completely failed. Then, together with several people, we decided that it was high time to start using biotechnology in plant protection, specifically DNA techniques – explained in an interview with Radio Information Agency Adam Kuzdralinski, president of Nexbio.

Diseases, whichore affecting agricultural fields, they do not develop overnight. They can be identified well in advance. Thanks to genetic testing, it is easy to determine which disease organism isorczy attacked the crops and with this knowledge plan an appropriate protection strategy.

Nexbio is currently perfecting a portable device thatore will perform DNA analysis. The portable lab will be able to determine what threatens crops. It will also suggest to the farmer a list of active substances in plant protection products, ktore can be applied. To make the technology more widely available, the company intends to develop a special smartphone with a built-in cartridge, whichory farmer will be mohead to purchase at an affordable price. The cartridges are to be tailored for specific crops.

– We are such "plant doctors", Although it is not really about plants, but about people. If this invention becomes so widespread that most farmersow will put it into practice, i.e. it will not abuse the pesticideow, they will not be landing on our plate. With our product, farmers can finally stop guessing. At the moment, it looks like as soon as a plant emerges into the soil, pesticides are loaded with it, often in the highest doses, to get the problem over with – Kuzdralinski explained in an interview with Onet Rano.

The technology developed in Lublin is taking part in the international competition Chivas The Venture, ktorym could win up to $1 millionow. You can vote for Nexbio on the competition website.

Thanks to Nexbio’s invention, there is a chance that healthier, better quality food with less chemicals will land on our plates. The technology will take care of roalso about environmental protection. Keep in mind that pesticides also kill beneficial organisms, and their residues linger in the soil for years.