About BioCrop

Crop production is dependent on manufactured fertilisers and pesticides/fungicides. Biocrop will explore the possibility of utilising biobased products and innovations as viable alternatives while addressing the sustainability and environmental impacts of these, such as GHG emissions. Biocrop aims to produce new algal and fungal derived biopesticides and biostimulants while engaging with industry and collaborators to test existing biofertilisers (algal and bacterial based) and biostimulants (endophytes) for efficacy. The existing products will be compared to fossil fertiliser applications and the ability to control disease (focussed on aphid -borne disease and Ramularia Leaf Spot, RLS) in Barley in field trials assessed.

Life-cycle analysis will deliver a system-level life cycle analysis of Biobased fertilisers and pesticides considering impacts across the full life cycle to avoid ‘burden shifting’ from one environmental impact to another. This analysis will assess the use of biobased products in an integrated management approach.

Furthermore, BioCrop will undertake economic modelling to assess the impact of these biobased fertilsers and pesticides on production costs and the profitability for Irish growers. Therefore, BioCrop will develop new and test existing biofertilsers and biopesticides for Barley production providing alternatives for growers in the face of EU regulations on fertiliser use and the loss of plant protection products.