A new plant-based wax that
can be sprayed on plants offers improved disease resistance without affecting
plant growth or function. It is estimated that it can reduce pesticide use by
50%. The new plant-based coating developed by Israeli researchers is called
SafeWax. It mimics the natural waxy layer of plants to protect crops from
disease, UV damage, and dehydration. It was tested on tomatoes, peppers,
grapevines, and bamboo. It does not affect photosynthesis rates.
Reducing the need for
pesticides can have positive effects on the environment and human health.
SafeWax is the result of what is known as biomimicry, or the mimicking of
natural processes by constructed processes.
“In their lab work, they rebuilt a plant’s waxy shield
from scratch using other plant-based ingredients. They started with naturally
occurring fatty acids, the same types already found in plant waxes, and
dissolved them into a liquid that could then be sprayed evenly onto leaves.”
“This is an ecological, efficient, and multifunctional
alternative for crop protection, especially in view of challenges that climate
change poses to modern agriculture," Boaz Pokroy, the coordinating
professor of the study, shared. "Beyond providing passive defense against
diseases, it enhances the environmental resilience of plants and reduces the
ecological footprint of crop cultivation.”
1. Inspired by nature: Plants naturally have a waxy outer
layer, known as the cuticle, that helps repel water, bacteria, and
contaminants.
2. Sprayed on as a liquid: Researchers dissolve plant-based
fatty acids — the same types found in natural plant waxes — into a sprayable
solution.
3. Dries into an invisible shield: Once applied, the liquid
evaporates, leaving behind a thin, transparent wax coating on the leaf’s
surface.
4. Water beads and rolls off: The coating causes water to
bead up and slide away, helping wash off fungal spores and dirt while also
shielding the plant from excess UV exposure.
The Technion – Israel
Institute of Technology leads a consortium for SafeWax research. The research
was published in the journal Nano-Micro Small. Crops like grapevines are
vulnerable to many fungal diseases. SafeWax can be effective in this regard to
reduce pesticide use. Its use as a fungicide alternative is expected to be its
leading use. The market for this product, once it is commercialized, will no
doubt be very large. The EU market is poised for it.
“SafeWax will revolutionize the global fungicides market
(valued > 20 billion €), starting from the biofungicide market with a value
of 3,2 billion € by 2.”
“Our biomimetic technology, termed SafeWax, relies on
bioderived wax-based sprayable formulations which self-assemble into a
multifaceted protective coating with antiadhesive, self-cleaning and antifungal
properties. When applied on sensitive crops, which do not naturally exhibit wax
crystals, SafeWax will synthetically render their foliage to passively resist
pathogens.”
“The biodegradable SafeWax coating will not only protect
crops from fungal infections but will also be tuned to provide UV radiation
filtering, prevent sun damage, as well as facilitate water collection from dew
condensation, mitigating inevitable effects of climate change.”
“Due to its multifunctional properties, SafeWax appears
to be a highly promising alternative solution for a wide range of agricultural
applications. Beyond the proven antifungal effect, the potential of technology
to reduce water loss and offer (partial) protection against UV radiation
increases its attractiveness particularly for regions experiencing drought or
extreme temperatures. In principle, SafeWax can be applied to a wide variety of
crops. Its versatility and ease of application should appeal to farmers seeking
to reduce their reliance on chemical fungicides while aiming to maintain crop
vitality and avoiding major additional costs related to antifungal products and
their use in established agricultural processes.”
In conclusion, SafeWax
appears to be a fantastic new way to deal with plant disease, particularly
fungal diseases, in a safe manner. It is expected to be widely adopted once it
becomes widely available. However, some challenges and issues remain. It will
need to be reapplied periodically, and its long-term effectiveness is still
being evaluated. Production costs for the raw materials needed are still being
explored. Although the fatty acids utilized are biodegradable, they are still
being evaluated for long-term effects on plants and soils. Including potential
effects on soil microbes.
“…the most urgent innovation required at the moment is a
technology for a solvent-free formulation of SafeWax, ideally with equal
versatility and performance. Both solvent-based and solvent-free formulations
will have to be refined to enhance their efficacy across different crop types
and environmental conditions.
“If reformulation toward more sustainable compositions
can be realized, SafeWax is anticipated to exhibit a more favorable
environmental profile, particularly in comparison to conventional copper-based
fungicides, which are known for their long-term ecological toxicity.”
References:
Scientists
created a plant-based wax that could cut pesticide use by 50%. Stacey Leasca.
Food & Wine. February 13, 2026. Scientists
created a plant-based wax that could cut pesticide use by 50%
SafeWax:
A Bio-Inspired Multifunctional Coating for Sustainable Crop Protection.Iryna
Polishchuk, Elena Prudnikov, Hanan Abu-Hamad, Niv Ben-Arie, Johanna Sklar,
Matthias Kellermeier, Coralie Schneider, Markus Rueckel, Franziska Tauber,
Mireia A. Ibanez Revert … Nano-Micro Small. Volume21, Issue 46. November 20, 2025.
e05360. SafeWax:
A Bio‐Inspired
Multifunctional Coating for Sustainable Crop Protection - Polishchuk - 2025 -
Small - Wiley Online Library
SafeWax
Sustainable Crop Protection. Home - safewax
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