TEHRAN - Researchers at an Iranian knowledge-based company succeeded in producing two nanotechnology-based herbal pesticides to control destructive pests in pistachio orchards, including psyllids.
“Artemizia eco.Licotox is an innovative combination which is formulated with nanotechnology to control the pistachio psyllid pest. The name Artemisia is taken from a medicinal and life-saving plant, and Licotox is a symbolic reference to a bird that sings only in healthy and poison-free orchards,” said Maryam Negahban, the head of the Plant Pesticides Research Laboratory at the National Plant Research Institute and the founder of the knowledge-based ’Nano Sabz Avaran Touba’ company.
“This pesticide can be an effective alternative to chemical pesticides in pistachio orchards, as more than 50 percent of the annual pesticide consumption in Iran is spent on combating pistachio psyllids,” she added.
Negahban described Maria Pro as the second product made by the company to control greenhouse cucumber spider mites, noting, “It can also be used on other plants, including figs, pears, olives, peppers and tomatoes. This product is also plant-based and free of toxic residues, making it a suitable option for export.”
Benefiting from plasma technology, Iranian researchers had also in 2023 managed to fight aflatoxin contamination in pistachio crops.
Plasma is used when it is important to combine materials or to specifically change their surface properties.
Nowadays, plasma technology is utilized in almost all sectors of industry, and new applications are being developed constantly.
Pistachio nuts are highly susceptible to contamination by aflatoxins, harmful substances that are produced by certain molds.
Not only aflatoxins are known to cause cancer, but they have also been linked to a wide variety of other diseases.
“By using plasma technology, we have been able to fight against aflatoxin in pistachio crops, which is completely effective without side effects,” said Mohammad Eslami, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI).
Nuclear technology has a wide range of applications and the world has benefited from this capacity and technology for decades, he added.
Eslami pointed out that the presence of aflatoxin causes the pistachio shipments to be returned from export destinations.
“If just one contaminated pistachio is found in the pistachio shipment, the entire shipment will be returned.”