Institute of Genetics,
Physiology and Plant Protection

Head: Gheorghe ROSCA, PhD in chemistry
Laboratory staff: 8 scientific researchers, including 2 PhD in chemistry

Research directions

Determination of chemical properties and biological activity of new attractant components. Elaboration of new synthesis methods for attractants, improvement of known synthesis schemes for pheromones, and working out the technological procedures for their production under the laboratory conditions.

Relevant results

•    Selection, identification of chemical structure and synthesis of cotton leaf worm (ballworm) sex pheromone. This pheromone was used in the integrated plant protection of cotton, sweet maize, tomatoes and other vegetable crops by monitoring or mass trapping of the pest males.
•    Synthesis of the grape moth sex pheromone. The sex pheromone was used in integrated vineyard plant protection system for monitoring or mass pest male trapping.
•    Codling moth sex pheromone synthesis. The traps with this pheromone were utilized in integrated system for apple trees orchards protection by monitoring or pest male mass trapping.
•    Preparative forms manufacturing for plum fruit moth sex pheromone on the base of synthetic line string. They were used in biological protection of plum trees orchards by pest male disorientation.

Business proposals

Sex pheromone traps were used for monitoring and combating the main harmful insects - the codling moth in apple trees orchards, ball worm (cotton leaf worm) on cotton and vegetable cultures (tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.), grape moth in vineyards, plum fruit in plum tree orchards by monitoring, pest male mass trapping and disorientation.