Project DeNETer: Nets with absorbent properties: combining exclusion with biological control, confusion and pest repulsion

PROJECT COST:

382 405 $

PRIMA CONTRIBUTION:

173 490 $

PROJECT DETAILS:

Pesticide-free production remains a significant challenge for many fruit and vegetable crops in Canada, due to the diversity of insect species and pathogens capable of damaging these crops. Cultivation under exclusion nets can reduce the damage caused by several, though not all, pests to acceptable levels based on current knowledge. This project builds on successful studies of exclusion nets in fruit crops, which have demonstrated good to excellent efficacy against both exotic and endemic pests. The project will be structured in three phases:

Texturing polymer candidates to ensure effective impregnation with active compounds.
Characterization of sorption, desorption, and resorption cycles of these active compounds.
Evaluation of entomological effects under laboratory and field conditions.

These studies will be conducted at McGill University (polymer candidate preparation), Polytechnique Montréal (surface modification and cycle characterization), and IRDA (entomological evaluations), in collaboration with producers (MDB Texinov) and users (Dubois Agrinovation) of exclusion nets.

The project aims to develop an intelligent, functional polymeric net capable of either repelling pests or inducing sexual confusion in harmful species. It will establish a sustainable and accessible protocol enabling net modification at partner facilities (Dubois Agrinovation, MDB Texinov) as well as multiple cycles of loading and reloading active compounds on reusable nets. The production of these enhanced nets will support the creation of new production lines and service offerings for the project partners.