The ERS Seminar Series continues Wednesday, 22^nd October, 1.00 pm in the downstairs Agronomy Lab (AG2 in the Agronomy and Soil Science Building), with part 2 of a special 2 part seminar. Part 2 describes the commercial development of a scientifically designed product, and you need not to have attended Part 1 to understand and enjoy Part 2.

“Adventures in attract-and-kill”

Peter Gregg and Alice Del Socorro

Professor Peter Gregg joined UNE as a lecturer in agricultural ecology and insect pest management in 1980.  His research has focused on the ecology of insect pests of cotton, and the development of alternatives to insecticides for managing these pests.  In 2005 he was seconded to the position of Chief Scientist of the Cotton Catchment Communities CRC, and following the winding up of the CRC, he has pursued an active research program as an Adjunct Professor at UNE.  Dr. Alice Del Socorro joined UNE as a Research Fellow in 1995, and has worked on many research projects in collaboration with Peter and other colleagues.  In 2009, the group led by Peter and Alice registered an attract-and-kill product, Magnet®, which is the first commercial product of this type based on plant volatiles in the world, and one of very few novel  pest management products ever commercialised in Australia.   This represented the culmination of 13 years of research through various Cotton CRCs, with the assistance of commercial partners AgBiTech Pty. Ltd.  The seminar will be delivered in two parts, the first describing the science behind Magnet® and the second describing the processes of patent protection, registration, commercial development and the search for practical applications for the product.