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CropG1 Research

Engineering Olfaction for Precision Pest Management

Research and development in insect olfaction, semiochemicals, molecular design, behavioural pest management and semiochemical sensing — integrating AI and IoT where they strengthen precision pest management.

Explore the Science Explore Pest Management
Explore Semiochemicals
Chemical signals connect molecular recognition, biological response and the possibility of engineered detection.

The scientific foundation

A signal is moving
through the field.

Organisms exchange chemical information continuously. CropG1 studies how semiochemical signals connect molecules, sensory systems and behaviour — and how that knowledge can inform new agricultural technologies.

SEMIOCHEMICAL SIGNAL → OLFACTORY / MOLECULAR RECOGNITION → BEHAVIOUR

From environmental signal to biological recognition and response.

This scientific schematic illustrates an information pathway, not a mechanism established for every insect species, receptor system or behavioural outcome.

Depending on the insect and pathway, recognition may involve odorant- or pheromone-binding proteins, chemosensory proteins (CSPs), and olfactory receptors including Orco-associated receptor complexes. The contribution and evidence for each element are species-, ligand- and context-dependent.

Molecular Discovery & Olfactory Modulation

Design around
recognition.

CropG1 is developing a research direction that applies molecular-design thinking to insect olfactory systems: connecting target biology and molecular recognition with ligand design, synthesis, functional response and behaviour.

The programme is exploratory. Evidence, targets and suitable assays vary by pest and pathway; activity at one layer does not by itself demonstrate behavioural or field performance.

TARGET BIOLOGY → MOLECULAR DESIGN → FUNCTION → BEHAVIOUR

A staged research logic for olfactory modulation.

01

Target biology

Define the pest, olfactory pathway and biological objective.

02

Molecular recognition

Study the evidence connecting ligands, binding proteins and receptors.

03

Ligand design

Explore molecular and medicinal-chemistry-style analogue design.

04

Synthesis & SAR

Relate chemical changes to measured structure–activity relationships.

05

Functional response

Evaluate activity in scientifically appropriate assays.

06

Behavioural modulation

Test whether molecular activity translates into relevant behaviour.

SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATION

Odorant- and pheromone-binding proteins, CSPs, olfactory receptors and Orco-associated systems are considered only where relevant and supported by the biology of the target system.

SEMIOCHEMICAL LIBRARY

The molecules
behind behaviour.

A scientific discovery system connecting chemical identity, biological role, associated organisms, evidence, analytical information and availability.

Custom Synthesis
Conceptual scientific data relationships
LIBRARY INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
Compound ↔ speciesBiological role ↔ targetActivity ↔ behaviourEvidence ↔ availability
COMPOUND RECORD STRUCTUREPUBLIC-SAFE FIELDS

From chemical identity to biological context.

The record model connects reviewed chemistry, species, biological function, molecular targets where known, assays, behaviour, literature, analytical information and availability.

CHEMICAL CLASS
Unsaturated aldehyde
BIOLOGICAL ROLE
Pheromone component
EVIDENCE
Reviewed literature
AVAILABILITY
Made to order
SCIENTIFIC RELATIONSHIPS

One record. Connected evidence.

The Library is designed as a scientific graph rather than a conventional product catalogue.

CHEMISTRYChemical identity
BIOLOGICAL ROLEPheromone component
ORGANISMAssociated species
EVIDENCEAssay / literature
RESPONSEActivity / behaviour
AVAILABILITYResearch supply
Compound → organism → role → evidence → availabilityRequest compound / synthesis

This diagram describes the intended information relationships; it is not a searchable database or statement of current records, evidence or inventory.

Formulation & Delivery

From signal to
pest management.

Semiochemicals can support both surveillance and direct behavioural pest management. Their performance depends on how signals are formulated, released and deployed in the field.

CropG1 approaches formulation and delivery as the enabling layer connecting chemical ecology to monitoring, behavioural intervention and field validation.

BIOLOGICAL OBJECTIVE → STRATEGY → MOLECULE + DELIVERY → FIELD VALIDATION

The biological objective determines the intervention strategy; the strategy defines molecule, release and validation requirements.

SURVEILLANCEMonitoring & Detection

Observe pest presence and support field intelligence.

BEHAVIOURAL PEST MANAGEMENTIntervention through chemical communication

Mass trapping · Mating disruption · Attract-and-kill · Push–pull · Emerging strategies

Conceptual scientific landscape. Strategy selection, formulation architecture and release characteristics depend on the biological objective, active semiochemical, target system and field-validation requirements. Vertical placement is used only to separate the strategies visually; it does not represent efficacy, priority or technology maturity.
01Objective decides strategy.
02Strategy defines delivery requirements.
03Delivery controls how the signal enters the field.
04Field validation closes the loop.

The landscape describes research and application strategies. It does not imply that every strategy or formulation is currently offered as a commercial CropG1 product.

FLAGSHIP RESEARCH PLATFORM

PHEROSCAN

Translating Semiochemical Signals into Farm Intelligence

PHEROSCAN is a modular semiochemical sensing platform.

Its technology-neutral architecture can accommodate scientifically justified recognition and sensing modalities across laboratory, portable and connected field configurations.

SIGNAL & ACQUISITION → RECOGNITION & SENSING → RESPONSE & CALIBRATION → FIELD INTELLIGENCE

A modular scientific flow rather than a fixed sensor geometry.

The flow is technology-neutral and does not depict final hardware, a commercial device or a specific production sensor geometry.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Detection is not the endpoint.

01Specificity

Can the sensing response distinguish relevant semiochemical information under realistic conditions?

02Calibration

Can response be calibrated against known signal conditions and analytical references?

03Field robustness

Can the platform operate meaningfully outside controlled laboratory conditions?

04Pest-management value

Can improved chemical information support better decisions within broader pest-management programmes?

MODULAR SENSING · CONNECTED INTELLIGENCE

Sampling and recognition may use biosensors, chemical sensors or other justified modalities. AI-assisted interpretation, pest-surveillance observations, IoT-connected systems and environmental data can support field intelligence where useful; they are enabling tools, not the scientific endpoint.

Research & Innovation Programmes

Research with
a defined purpose.

CropG1 programmes connect scientific questions with molecular, behavioural, sensing and field-validation work for precision pest management.

Public programme information is limited to verified, disclosure-safe content. Detailed methods, results and intellectual property remain private unless approved for disclosure.

CURRENT / DEVELOPING RESEARCH

Scientific platforms and research directions in active development.

01FLAGSHIP PLATFORM

PHEROSCAN

A modular semiochemical sensing platform.

Explore
02DEVELOPING RESEARCH DIRECTION

Olfactory Molecular Discovery

Exploring target biology, molecular recognition, ligand design, synthesis, functional response and behaviour.

Explore
03DEVELOPING R&D

AI-enabled Pest Surveillance

Developing AI-assisted and connected approaches for automated pest observation and surveillance as a complementary field-intelligence capability.

SELECTED FUNDED TRANSLATIONAL PROGRAMMES

Prior competitively supported translation programmes presented separately from current research.

01FUNDED TRANSLATIONAL PROGRAMME

BIRAC-BIG

Biotechnology Ignition Grant supporting development of a dual lure designed to attract male and female fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda. Competitively awarded BIRAC translational funding through C-CAMP.

02FUNDED TRANSLATIONAL PROGRAMME

ELEVATE

Karnataka ELEVATE Idea2PoC support for development of an allelochemical-based dual lure targeting male and female coffee white stem borer, Xylotrechus quadripes.

Insights & scientific exchange

Ideas should
be discoverable.

Articles, lectures, presentations and technical perspectives form a structured knowledge layer connected to CropG1 researchers, projects and scientific themes.

CONTRIBUTIONS KEEP THEIR SCIENTIFIC CONTEXT
Author
Research theme
Related project
Scientific resource
Editorial formatsArticles · Lectures & Talks · Technical Notes · Presentations

Collaborate

Build the evidence
the field requires.

Academic research, industry R&D, international consortia, joint funding proposals and field validation each require a different collaboration pathway.

The pathway should follow the scientific problem, the evidence required and the stage of development.

Academic ResearchIndustry R&DInternational ConsortiaJoint FundingField Validation

CropG1 Research

What are you trying to
understand, formulate, detect or control?

Discuss a Research CollaborationRequest a Semiochemical

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