Modeling of the dispersion of pheromones in cultivated areas in order to improve the effectiveness of biocontrol products

The work of this thesis is part of an ecological approach to crop management. It will be carried out within the framework of the join laboratory So Ph’air (Solutions for Pheromones Analysis in Air) between M2i Group and IMT Mines Alès (IPREM laboratory, UMR 5254 CNRS, in Pau).

M2i Group synthesizes pheromones that are incorporated into various treatment products (solid matrices, spray solutions) intended for use in the fields in order to protect cultures from insects, by inducing mating disruption which will reduce their reproduction. This biocontrol solution is an alternative to the use of pesticides and is known to be respectful of biodiversity. The modeling of the phenomena of diffusion and dispersion of pheromones in the fields is essential in order to estimate the area of action and the persistence over time of pheromones at sufficient concentration to maintain efficiency while minimizing the applied dose.

Thesis topic

The objective of the thesis is to model the dispersion of pheromones in a cultivated area. The PhD student will rely on the known physics equations describing the transfer processes to develop a 3D model applicable to the case studied, and on the experimental results of laboratory and on-site tests carried out during a previous thesis. For this, he or she will be able to code his or her own algorithms or use a modeling software used in the laboratory. This thesis also includes an experimental part, necessary to acquire some parameters model input (transfer coefficients, partition constant, etc.) and to validate the results obtained by the model in cultivated fields.

The work will be carried out within the framework of the join laboratory So Ph’air (Solutions for Pheromones Analysis in Air) between M2i Group and IMT Mines Alès (IPREM laboratory,UMR 5254, in Pau)

https://iprem.univ-pau.fr/fr/index.html

https://www.m2i-lifesciences.com/

https://www.mines-ales.fr

The candidate will hold an engineering degree or a research master's degree preferably in the Process Engineering specialty, with solid knowledge of the mass transfer phenomena (diffusion, adsorption/desorption). Skills in modeling are essential. Ideally a knowledge of Comsol software will be appreciated. A background in analytical chemistry would be a plus. He or she must have, during his or her studies, demonstrated an aptitude for research, autonomy, rigor, curiosity, excellent communication skills (oral and written in English and if possible in French) and team work.