R&D - Project

BB2MANCO Ongoing

A bio-based alternative to mancozeb

Study of the bio-guided fractionation of two extracts derived from Walloon co-products with a view to developing a bio-based substitute fungicidal product for mancozeb.

Spraying plants with a sprayer wearing yellow gloves in the garden

This project aims to develop a natural alternative to mancozeb, a fungicide banned two years ago due to its harmful effects on health. By valorizing agricultural and forestry co-products from Wallonia, the research team identified two promising extracts derived from apple tree prunings and spruce twigs. These extracts are currently being tested against potato late blight, one of the main diseases previously treated with mancozeb.

The objective of this project is to propose a natural alternative to mancozeb while valorizing co-products that are usually underutilized. Mancozeb, a fungicide widely used since the 1960s, notably on potatoes, was banned two years ago due to its classification as an endocrine disruptor. Led by the Phytopathology and Molecular Farming laboratory and CELABOR, the project has made it possible to develop a bio-based fungicidal product, compatible with organic farming, from co-products from Walloon agriculture and forestry.
After reviewing the literature and carrying out laboratory pre-tests on crude extracts provided by CELABOR, two promising extracts were selected: apple tree prunings and spruce twigs, both available in large quantities in Wallonia. These extracts are currently being tested under controlled conditions against potato late blight, the main pathosystem previously treated with mancozeb.