The ProtoQSAR project “Computational screening and experimental validation of ecological pesticides against the plague HLB of citrus fruits (ECO-PEST)” has been one of the 23 selected by the Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE) for its financing through the program of Creation of Technology-Based Companies (CREATEC-CV).
The “Huanglongbing” (HLB) is considered the most important disease in citrus worldwide, given its severity and destructive capacity. Among other impacts, it causes the deterioration of the quality and flavor of the fruit, and finally leads to the death of the tree. Currently there are no curative methods or species or varieties resistant to this vascular bacteria.
The main objective of the project is to select ecological insecticides acting in the fastest and most effective possible way on the insects carrying the bacteria. To this end, the staff of ProtoQSAR will carry out computational studies and virtual screening on a selection of insecticides, mainly by using quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models. These studies will be complemented with field tests to experimentally verify their effectiveness, as well as their (eco)toxicological safety in humans and the environment.
