A scent-sational win for chemical-free pest control

Recently the winners of the Eureka Prizes were announced on the 4^th of September, celebrating incredible research in areas like the environment, sustainability, and science. Ther winner for the Eureka Prize for Environmental Research was Peter Banks and the Sensory Conservation team (including Dr Catherine Price, Dr Malcolm Possell, and Prof Clare McArthur). Their project focuses on a humane, organic pest control method that protects native plants and animals without using poisons or traps.

The approach? It’s all about the senses—especially smell. The team discovered they can deter pests by diluting plant or crop oils and spraying the scent over areas where seeds are planted. In 2021, NSW Farmers said the mice plague at the time could cause $1 billion of damage to Australian crops. The Sensory Conservation team experimented with this species of mice, using wheat seed oil to prevent the mice from eating newly sown wheat seeds. Their method reduced crop loss by approximately 70 per cent, with the potential for even greater reduction if the plot is sprayed before planting.

As the research was completed, Dr Price said that “If people want to control mice but can’t get numbers down low enough, our technique can be a potent alternative to pesticides or add value to existing methods.”

It’s a fantastic breakthrough, offering a more eco-friendly and humane solution for pest control. Congratulations to the Sensory Team on their win!