Syngenta Biologics and Provivi enter partnership to combat key crop pests across Asia

Syngenta Biologicals and Provivi recently announced a collaboration to develop and commercialise new pheromone-based biological solutions to effectively and more safely control detrimental pests in corn and rice

The collaboration brings together Provivi’s expertise in pheromone-based crop protection solutions with Syngenta’s global reach and development capabilities. The two new pheromone solutions will help farmers manage the devastating pests which include the Yellow Stem Borer (YSB) in India and Indonesia and Fall Armyworm (FAW) in Thailand.

These innovative product formulations, made from biodegradable materials, represent significant advancements such as enhanced efficacy, longer duration, and improved environmental sustainability for the benefit of farmers. Both of these will be available to farmers starting in 2026. 

Pheromones are natural signaling compounds that effectively control pests by interfering with their mating behaviors, preventing pest reproduction. The benefits of using pheromones in an integrated pest management programme include their non-toxicity, highly specific target activity and a mode of action, preventing, instead of eliminating, thereby supporting the preservation of biodiversity and the flourishing of non-target species.

The YSB and FAW pests stand out as among the most destructive insect pests in agriculture, threatening a wide variety of crops in many countries and impacting farmers’ livelihoods as well as food security. Syngenta and Provivi have previously collaborated to bring the pheromone-based technology NELVIUM to Indonesia to control rice stem borer insects. The expansion of the pheromone partnership with Provivi is aligned with Syngenta’s sustainability priorities, which includes accelerating crop productivity while reducing the impact on the planet, through more sustainable technologies.

“Farmers need solutions that effectively address pest pressure while ensuring sustainability on their farms, particularly as pest threats evolve with climate change," said global head of Biologicals and Seedcare at Syngenta, Jonathan Brown. "We are proud to work together with Provivi to deliver the next-generation in pheromone-based biocontrols that target farmer key pest challenges.”