Natural plant-based crop protection solutions from waste biomass
Lambton College is developing natural crop protection solutions using secondary plant metabolites extracted from agricultural and forestry waste. These solutions include pest control active ingredients and botanical surfactants, improving delivery and efficacy of crop protection products.
Overview
Lambton College is pioneering the development of natural crop protection solutions derived from secondary plant metabolites found in agri-food and forestry waste biomass. This innovative approach focuses on creating pest control active ingredients and formulants, including botanical surfactants, that not only control pests and diseases but also enhance the delivery and efficacy of agricultural chemicals. These solutions aim to offer sustainable alternatives to conventional pesticides, leveraging natural compounds for improved environmental compatibility and effectiveness.
Technical specifications
The technology involves the extraction of secondary plant metabolites from waste biomass, which are then formulated into active ingredients and surfactants for crop protection. Key features include:
- Botanical surfactants that improve the application and efficacy of pesticides
- Anti-insect and anti-microbial properties to combat a range of crop pests
- Sustainable sourcing from agricultural and forestry waste, reducing environmental impact
Recent studies include assessing botanical antifungal treatments on cannabis plants, using bioassays to evaluate efficacy against powdery mildew.
Technology readiness level
This technology is currently at TRL 4, indicating that it has been validated in laboratory settings. Future steps will include scaling up formulations and conducting comprehensive efficacy trials from in vitro studies to whole plant applications.
About Lambton College
Lambton College is a career‑focused public college in Sarnia, Ontario, recognized for hands‑on, industry‑aligned applied research. Companies engage through three NSERC‑funded Technology Access Centres—the Lambton Manufacturing Innovation Centre, the Bio‑Industrial Process Research Centre, and the Digital Technology Lab—which provide contract R&D, prototyping, testing, and process optimization. Facilities include a BSL‑2 lab, a Natural Health Products lab, and the Canadian Extrusion Research Laboratory, with teams based on campus and at the adjacent Western Sarnia‑Lambton Research Park, enabling rapid validation and scale‑up alongside a major regional energy and chemical manufacturing cluster. Applied research is supported by funding from NSERC, Mitacs, the Ontario Centre of Innovation, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Research Fund, and FedDev Ontario programs. A dedicated commercialization function offers IP strategy and licensing support, augmented by resources from Intellectual Property Ontario.
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