Spider venom-derived peptide technology offers Portuguese tomato producers a sustainable alternative to combat increasing pest resistance in one of Europe’s key tomato-producing regions
Portugal has granted emergency use authorisation (EUA) for Vestaron’s bioinsecticide Spear LEP, which it has said enables farmers to protect tomato crops from infestations of tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta).
The 120-day authorisation allows Portuguese growers with access to address a critical pest threatening the country’s significant tomato production, the group said, particularly in the face of increasing resistance to traditional insecticides.
Vestaron is partnering with Lainco, a Spanish company specialising in the development, manufacture, and commercialisation of agrochemicals around Europe.
”Fully biodegradable and highly specific to the target pest, Spear LEP poses minimal risks for pollinators, has an excellent human and environmental safety profile, a 0-day pre-harvest interval, and no maximum residue limits,” Vestaron stated.
Since its first appearance in Portugal’s Algarve and Madeira regions in 2009, tomato leafminer has spread across the country’s tomato-growing areas, impacting both industrial and fresh consumption tomatoes.
In 2023, Portugal cultivated approximately 18,440ha of tomatoes, yielding 1.8mn tonnes, making it one of the EU’s leading tomato producers after Italy and Spain.
However, challenges such as water shortages and late-season tomato leafminer attacks resulted in only average yields last year.
Portuguese grower group Centro Operativo Tecnológico Hortofrutícola Nacional (COTHN), which petitioned the Directorate General for Food and Veterinary Affairs for the emergency authorisation, said it was ”delighted” that the temporary authorisation will provide its members with a new tool for the effective and sustainable control of tomato leafminer infestations.
Initially controlled by diamide insecticides, tomato leafminer has developed resistance, necessitating a strategic integrated pest management (IPM) approach.
Spear LEP is a biological product derived from naturally occurring peptides found in spider venom and produced through natural fermentation.
The product offers precision-targeted control of lepidopteran pests, including tomato leafminer, without known resistance or cross-resistance to synthetic pesticides.
“Portugal joins Italy, Greece and Cyprus in stepping forward to provide effective and much-needed solutions for growers facing evolving pest challenges,” said Juan Estupinan, Vestaron CEO and president.
“Spear LEP’s proven peptide-based technology empowers farmers to protect their crops while supporting biodiversity and environmental health.
”We are actively pursuing full approval of Spear LEP in Europe and expanding our pipeline of novel bioinsecticides to meet global agricultural needs,” he continued.
”Our collaboration with Lainco exemplifies a shared commitment to bringing cutting-edge biocontrol solutions to European agriculture through our combined expertise in innovation and regulatory strategy.”
