Pheronym’s nematode pheromone focused solution again proven effective

Pheronym’s Fifth Peer Reviewed Study Shows Nemastim™ Significantly Improves Nematode Efficacy Against Pecan Weevils, Even in Colder Weather

WOODLAND, CA, UNITED STATES, February 29, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Pheronym^®, an ag-biotech pest management company, announced today the results of their fifth peer-reviewed study, this one focused on the efficacy of the company’s Nemastim™ on improving beneficial nematodes’ ability to control pecan weevils. Featured in the Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, the study entitled, "Enhancing Entomopathogenic Nematode Efficacy with Pheromones: A Field Study Targeting the Pecan Weevil" describes the increased efficacy in insect control, even when temperatures dipped unexpectedly below 10 degrees centigrade, levels that reduce the effectiveness of beneficial nematodes. Successful biocontrol practices are a key strategy in reducing chemical pesticide use and promoting climate-resilient and regenerative agriculture.

The research, led by Dr. David Shapiro-Ilan, Research Leader, and entomologist at the USDA-ARS and Dr. Fatma Kaplan​,​ focused on the how Pheronym’s Nemastim increases the efficacy of beneficial nematodes’ improving their dispersal, foraging and infectivity.

“With five peer reviewed papers, it’s now clear that our approach to crop protection is a cost effective, climate-smart, more sustainable tool for commercial farmers to control a wide array of pests.” said Dr. Fatma Kaplan, CEO of Pheronym. “All of us, want to reduce the use of chemical pesticides to make a safer agroecosystem – this is a big step forward towards that goal.”

“Previously we observed that the pheromone extract caused increased pest control under lab and greenhouse conditions and now, for the first time, we observed enhanced efficacy under field conditions,” said Dr. David Shapiro-Ilan, Research leader and entomologist at the USDA-ARS. “

Dr. Jermaine Perier (Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Georgia), the first author of the published study, was also highly impressed by the results, “The study on pecan weevil can serve as a model for field suppression of various other pests treated with beneficial nematodes”.

“There are always surprises when you bring products into the field, and this two-year trial confirms what we learned in our tests on the International Space Station four years ago – that even in lower temperatures we can get the nematodes to work harder. Expanding the temperature range for deployment of nematodes is a huge win for sustainable agriculture,” said Karl Schiller, COO of Pheronym. “It’s just one more reason for more aggressive commercial deployment of effective solutions like Pheronym’s.”

How it Works
Pheronym's natural product breakthrough increases the effectiveness of beneficial nematodes' ability to control pests in agriculture. While nematodes are regularly used in pest management, commercially available nematodes do not always disperse efficiently or as effectively as they need to when they are applied to a field. The nematodes, need to be actively moving to seek an insect pest host. Pheronym's approach directly impacts this problem – significantly improving the mobility and aggressiveness of the nematodes, making them more effective in killing pests. Pheronym also has shown that a different kind of pheromone can control plant-parasitic nematodes, which harm crops, by redirecting these yield-sapping pests away from the plant roots.

About Pheronym
Award-winning Pheronym is an ag-biotech pest management company that enables sustainable farming through its novel platform of nematode pheromones. The company's patented solution uses a new pheromone to control plant-parasitic nematodes (microscopic roundworms) in an eco-friendly way and enhances beneficial nematodes' efficacy to eliminate pest insects. Learn more at http://www.pheronym.com

Karl Cameron Schiller
Pheronym, Inc.
+1 352-283-6967
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