DEMETER

Research of new biological phytosanitary products is part of a very competitive field by offering alternative solutions to the most common practices with the objective of limiting the risks of toxicity for humans and the environmental health impacts. The protection of crops against diseases and all bio-aggressors has become critical in order to respond to the constant increase in food needs. In this context, some derivatives with a 4-hydroxy-2-pyridone ring, which are naturally occurring alkaloids, have shown interesting insecticidal, herbicidal, fungicidal or bactericidal activities. The objective of DEMETER project is to focus (i) on the study of their reactive transport from the surface of the soil to the water table; (ii) on the understanding of the processes at the interfaces (adsorption / complexation / degradation). To do this, a multidisciplinary and innovative methodological approach will be implemented during this project, combining laboratory experiments and reactive transport modelling to characterize the stability and fate of these new potential biological phytosanitary products along the Soil – Unsaturated Zone – Aquifer (Saturated Zone) continuum.