Vancouver’s semiosBIO has announced that it has received a $2.8 million investment to demonstrate a pest-management system that can potentially reduce pesticide use in Canadian orchards.
Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) has funded the company’s technology, which uses pheromones to disrupt mating in certain types of moths, leading to reduced larvae population.
“The Government of Canada has recognized that our pest-management system reduces pesticide use on fruit and will result in cleaner soil and cleaner water,” said semiosBIO president and CEO Michael Gilbert.
“SDTC’s commitment today will help the success of this clean technology tomorrow.”
SemiosBIO says the technology is more cost-effective and less labour-intensive for fruit growers than existing pheromone technology and that it prevents contamination to soil and water that occurs as a result of spray pesticide applications.
For this project, semiosBIO is working as part of a consortium that includes Okanaga Kootenay Sterile Insect Release Program, UBC, the University of Guelph and Len Metcalfe.
