EU-funded CROPSAFE picks 24 bio-based crop protection candidates

By AI, Created 2:26 PM UTC, May 27, 2026, /AGP/ – The Horizon Europe-backed CROPSAFE project has moved 24 bio-based candidates into its next research phase after screening 51 compounds for use against major crop threats in Europe. The work targets potato, tomato and banana systems facing pressure from pests and diseases as synthetic pesticide active substances are withdrawn from the EU market.

Why it matters: - CROPSAFE is trying to replace synthetic pesticides with safer bio-based options for crops that are losing chemical protection in Europe. - The project focuses on potato, tomato and banana systems that face major yield and disease pressure. - The program could help protect production in the UK, Italy and Spain’s Canary Islands as more active substances are withdrawn from the EU market.

What happened: - The EU-funded CROPSAFE project reached its first major technical milestone under Horizon Europe Grant No. 101209410 through the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking. - Researchers prepared, tested and down-selected a bio-based bioactive library. - The consortium screened 51 compounds and extracts and chose 24 frontrunners to move into scale-up and Phase 2 research. - The project announcement was issued May 27, 2026, from Brussels.

The details: - The 24 selected candidates came from four bio-based residue streams: seaweed biomass, forestry residues, spent coffee grounds and fungal waste. - Borregaard and Alginor in Norway, and Kaffe Bueno in Denmark, supplied biorefinery expertise for the initial library build. - IQS-URL in Spain, the University of Alicante, the National Research Council’s Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection in Italy and the James Hutton Institute in the UK helped prepare and evaluate the compounds. - Each compound was tested against four target pests and diseases. - The testing methods were designed to characterize mode of action. - LEITAT oversaw safety and sustainability work throughout the screening phase. - The selected set is tailored to each pest, with about eight candidates per target pest or disease advancing to glasshouse trials. - The target problems are potato cyst nematode in UK potato crops, root knot nematode in Italian tomato crops, and banana weevil plus Fusarium wilt in banana crops in the Canary Islands. - The tomato losses linked to root knot nematode can reach up to 65%.

Between the lines: - The stage-gate structure suggests CROPSAFE is trying to reduce risk before moving into more expensive testing. - The emphasis on Safety and Sustainability by Design points to a strategy built around regulatory and environmental fit, not just pest control performance. - The project is also betting that residue streams can become a reliable source of new crop-protection chemistry. - Dr. Laura Pilon of Iconiq Innovation said the first-stage result shows what coordinated, multidisciplinary collaboration can achieve.

What’s next: - The consortium will begin Phase 2 glasshouse testing. - CROPSAFE will scale production of the bioactive preparations to kilogram quantities. - The team will conduct safety and environmental assessments. - Researchers will test the candidates on pest-treated potted plants under controlled conditions. - Phase 2 is expected to end in early 2027, when a second down-selection will narrow the field before field trials. - The full four-year program then moves toward field trials in Scotland, Italy and the Canary Islands.

The bottom line: - CROPSAFE has turned 51 early-stage bio-based candidates into 24 more advanced options, setting up the next round of testing for crop protection tools that could better fit Europe’s tightening pesticide landscape. - More information: CROPSAFE project