Protecting the Planet
BIU Research Targets Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Pesticides
As the world celebrates Earth Day 2025, an Israeli research collaboration is offering fresh hope in the global effort to protect crops—without harming the planet.
At the center of this innovation is a powerful alliance between computational chemistry and plant science. Prof. Hanoch Senderowitz of Bar-Ilan University’s Department of Chemistry and the ChemLife Center for Translational Chemistry has teamed up with Dr. Iris Yedidia of the Volcani Center to develop a new generation of environmentally-friendly pesticides that could revolutionize agriculture.
Their mission is to tackle destructive crop diseases by disarming—not killing—the bacteria responsible.
Fighting Smarter, Not Harder
Traditional pesticides may offer short-term solutions, but they often carry long-term environmental costs, including soil degradation, water contamination, and the emergence of resistant pathogens. The Senderowitz-Yedidia team is taking a radically different approach, leveraging advanced molecular modeling to design compounds that stop harmful bacteria from communicating with each other—a process known as quorum sensing (QS).
This bacterial “conversation” enables microbes to coordinate attacks on plants. By interrupting the signal without destroying the bacteria themselves, the team avoids triggering resistance mechanisms, creating a cleaner, safer path to crop protection.
The Future of Farming Is Green
“We are optimistic that the compounds we are developing could soon be ready for commercial use,” says Prof. Senderowitz. “Our goal is to have a viable, sustainable alternative to traditional pesticides that will not only protect crops but also contribute to the overall health of our ecosystems.”
Backed by major supporters including the United States-Israel Binational Agriculture Research and Development (BARD) Foundation, Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture, the venture Agrifood fund COPIA, and the Israeli Innovation Authority, the project is already gaining international recognition. Several peer-reviewed publications have spotlighted the scientific promise of this sustainable solution.
As Earth Day reminds us of the urgent need to rethink our relationship with nature, Bar-Ilan University’s researchers are showing that it’s possible to protect both our food supply and the fragile ecosystems we all depend on.