# Eco-Friendly Plant Pesticides BioClay is a New Crop Spray that Naturally Defends Crops By Michael Hemsworth | Published 2017-01-12 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/plant-pesticides References: [newatlas](http://newatlas.com/bioclay-gene-silencing-plants-pesticide-alternative/47344/) & [nature](http://www.nature.com/articles/nplants2016207) Roughly 20-40% of the world's crops are lost to diseases and [pests each year](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pats-agri-tech), so BioClay is a new option that's far better in comparison to other plant pesticides. BioClay comes a study that is being done at the [University of Queensland](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/weed-management), which is being led by Neena Mitter who is an agricultural biotechnologist. BioClay works by being sprayed onto crops in microscopic sheets that enable the plant to defend itself when it is threatened. This comes as welcome news as plant pesticides have been blamed for environmental degradation as well as a number of health concerns. The BioClay RNAi sprays come as a much cheaper alternative to developing GMO crops and would require far less time to get developed and rolled out. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.0/10 - Popularity: 43% | Activity: 38% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Bioclay Plant Pesticides:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation by providing a natural and eco-friendly solution to crop diseases and pests. - **Microscopic Sheets:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in crop protection through the use of microscopic sheets for plant defense. - **Rnai Sprays:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in agricultural biotechnology by developing cheaper and quicker alternatives to GMO crops. ### Where This Applies - **Agriculture:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the agriculture industry by introducing eco-friendly plant pesticides. - **Biotechnology:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the biotechnology industry by exploring the use of microscopic sheets for crop protection. - **Crop Protection:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the crop protection industry through the development of RNAi sprays as an alternative to GMO crops. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Efficient Grower Insecticides](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bioworks.md) - [Eco-Friendly Food Coatings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/plantbased-coating.md) - [Targeted Rice Pest Insecticides](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/novel-insecticide.md) - [Pest-Fighting Crop Lines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/coromandel-international.md) - [Food-Safe Pest Control Sprays](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/plant-wellness.md) - [Farm-Friendly Insecticides](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/powerful-insecticide.md) - [Plant Guard Foliage Sprays](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/plant-guard-foliage-spray.md) - [All-Natural Pest Control](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/allnatural-pest-control.md) - [Iron-Boosting Crop Supplements](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/biota-nutri.md)