ValorCannBio: Valorization of medicinal cannabis by-products as a biopesticide for olive groves

BACKGROUND

Agriculture, an engine of human development, is facing major challenges. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 30-50% of production is lost due to pests and diseases and climate change is increasing this impact. At the same time, production has to support the increase in the world's population, which will double by 2050, at a time when chemically synthesized phytopharmaceuticals are being discontinued by the EU, which aims to reduce their use by 50% in the next 10 years. All these challenges are even greater in the Mediterranean area, one of the most threatened and for which there are the fewest solutions.

Olive groves are an ancient crop of great social and economic importance in the Mediterranean. Olive oil is one of Portugal's most exported products, with 75% of production coming from the Alentejo.

Two of the main diseases of the olive grove are Gafa and Tuberculosis. Gafa is caused by the fungus Colletothricum sp., leads to production losses of up to 60-80%, corresponding to more than 50 million euros, a reduction in olive oil quality and is leading to the disappearance of the genetic heritage of important traditional Portuguese olive varieties such as the Galega, which is highly susceptible to the disease.

Tuberculosis, caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi(Pss), is widespread in most olive groves, leading to a reduction in olive oil quality. The main methods of controlling these diseases are copper-based pesticides, which are not very effective, have adverse effects on the environment and the pathogens have developed resistance.

The production of medicinal cannabis (scientific name, Cannabis sativa) is growing in Portugal (including in the Alentejo), and the country is expected to become one of the world's largest producers. The greatest value lies in the flowers, which are rich in chemical compounds such as Tetra-Hydro-Cannabinol (THC) and Cana-Bi-Diol (CBD). The rest of the biomass is considered waste, i.e. a by-product, which legally has to be destroyed, entailing high costs. Cannabis contains more than 500 chemical compounds, some with unexplored antibacterial, antifungal and insecticidal properties. By efficiently managing the surplus biomass of medicinal cannabis, it will be possible to develop effective and sustainable solutions for controlling diseases that affect olive groves.

SYNOPSIS

The project ValorCannBio: Valorization of medicinal cannabis by-products as a biopesticide for olive groves, led by InPP, in partnership with the Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry (LAQV requimte) of the Faculty of Science and Technology of the New University of Lisbon (NEW FCT) and the companies GreenBePharma (GBP) - production of medicinal cannabis and AGR Global - cultivation and production of olive groves (from the De Prado), is one of the winners of the 6th edition of the Promove Program by la Caixa“ Foundation”, in collaboration with BPI Bank and the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), in the category of innovative pilot projects.

The project ValorCannBio is focused on olive groves and aims to control Gafa and Tuberculosis. The main objective of this project is to use the surplus biomass from the production of medicinal cannabis as a biopesticide.

To help control the two diseases that affect olive groves, the team of researchers involved in the project will develop sustainable and effective biopesticides (biofungicide and biocide) from the surplus biomass of the medicinal cannabis production process. This process will make it possible to meet the needs of olive growers, but also to open up a new value chain associated with the use of a by-product of the plant's production industry for medicinal purposes.

In addition, new methods of extracting bioactive compounds from cannabis will be developed, based on green chemistry, i.e. using sustainable solvents. Complementary to this strategy, the aim is to explore the community of microorganisms such as bacteria that colonize the interior of plant tissues without causing damage to the cannabis plant (known as endophytic bacteria), isolating bacteria with biological control agent properties to be developed as a biopesticide.

OBJECTIVES

1. Valuing the cannabis plant as a biopesticide.

2. Reduce the cost associated with destroying the cannabis plant after collecting the flowers and its carbon footprint.

3. Create value in a new market segment for the cannabis industry.

4. Contribute to reducing the use of chemically synthesized pesticides in olive groves and the environmental impact inherent in their application.

5. To help reduce the economic losses caused by anthracnose and tuberculosis in olive groves.

6. To preserve one of the country's main traditional olive varieties, the Galega, which is highly susceptible to gafa.

ACTIVITIES

1. Obtaining cannabis by-products.

2. Screening the biopesticidal activity of cannabis by-products.

3. Testing the best biopesticides on plants.

4. Characterization of bioactive products with biopesticidal activity.

5. Dissemination of results: The results of the project will be shared with the public through the creation of a website and promotion on social networks, to increase the visibility and impact of the results.

ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED

FINANCING