EcoSyn: The potential for overcoming insecticide-resistance in arable crop pests using synergists

Insect pests cause significant damage to agricultural crops and transmit several important diseases of humans and animals. Chemical insecticides have been used to control insect pests for many decades and remain essential to ensure a supply of affordable food and as part of disease vector control for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, the world-wide use of insecticides over many years has led to increased resistance to insecticides and contributed to environmental contamination. One possible way to reduce insecticide use without compromising control is to use a synergist in combination with an insecticide. Synergists are themselves non-toxic at doses applied but increase efficacy of the co-applied insecticides by inhibiting the metabolic defence systems in insects that detoxify insecticides. The goal of this project is to develop ecofriendly synergists for use in formulations with insecticides, both in agriculture and in public health.