The HARMONY project (Holistic AppRoach for Managing emerging OrgaNisms through sYnergy of biocontrol agents, biopesticides, and semiochemicals; Project CPP2024-011362, funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, EU) has officially launched its activities. This multidisciplinary collaboration, led by the Almeria-based biotechnology company AGROBÍO S.L., with the participation of the Chemical Ecology of Pest Insects research group at the Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), aims to revolutionise Integrated Pest Management strategies by combining biological control agents (BCAs), next-generation biopesticides and innovative semiochemicals.
The project has received a favourable funding decision under the 2024 Public-Private Collaboration Projects call of the Spanish State Research Agency (Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities). The initiative aims to provide sustainable alternatives to chemical pesticides for invasive pests affecting key crops such as citrus and peppers, directly addressing the urgent threats posed by invasive species of thrips and scale insects, among others.
The Chemical Ecology of Pest Insects research group will be responsible for the identification of semiochemicals and their potential application in integrated pest management.
Key details of the HARMONY project
HARMONY has a total eligible budget of €1,773,859.74, with a total awarded funding of €1,488,853.70, including a €576,731.32 grant, a €911,107.91 loan and a €157,814.57 repayable ERDF advance. Funding is provided by the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI) of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and is co-financed by the European Union. The project has a multi-year implementation period running from October 2025 to September 2028 and is currently in its first year of development.
Holistic and integrated
HARMONY is built around three complementary pillars aimed at enhancing the resilience of cropping systems:
- Enhanced biological control agents: development and genetic improvement of key natural enemies (Orius laevigatus, Macrolophus pygmaeus), optimisation of mass-rearing techniques and introduction of new predatory species. Conservation strategies, such as ecological infrastructures and supplementary diets, will strengthen their sustainability within agroecosystems.
- Next-generation biopesticides: development of new biopesticides based on microorganisms (fungi and bacteria), microbial metabolites, proteins, RNA interference (RNAi) and plant extracts, overcoming formulation and stability challenges to ensure their compatibility with IPM systems.
- Innovative semiochemical-based control: design of “Attract-and-Kill” (A&K) platforms using specific pheromones and environmentally safe insecticides to effectively target thrips and scale insects.
The synergy between these biotechnological innovations is expected to reduce pesticide use by 50% and produce fruit and vegetables with lower pesticide residues, while ensuring the long-term economic viability of growers.
A high-level consortium
HARMONY brings together three leading Spanish agri-biotechnology companies and four leading national research institutions: Agrobío S.L., Futureco Bioscience S.A., SEDQ Healthy Crops S.L., the Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), the Technical University of Cartagena, the University of Almería and the University of Barcelona (UB).