Bangor 30th August, 2012

Controlled release of volatile fine chemicals used in crop protection

Owen Jones

AgriSense / Suterra

Pheromones

& Other Semiochemicals

The principal component of the sex pheromone of the Citrus Moth and the Olive Moth

Z -7- tetradecenal (Z-7-14:ald)

» Nesbitt, B.F., Beevor, P.S, Hall, D.R., Lester, R., Sternlicht, M., and Goldenberg, S. (1977). Identification and synthesis of the female sex pheromone of the citrus flower moth, Prays citri. Insect Biochem. 7:355-359.

Pheromone Dispenser

Each Vial contains 1 mg of the pheromone

Delta Trap in Olive Tree

Control of Release Rate by Easily Available Means

VialsMatrix System

(Septa)

Sachets and Plastic

Pouches

The Lure Technology – Early Days

Types of Delivery Systems Employed

LaminatesMatrix systems Reservoirs

Extrusions

Pheromone reservoir layer

Impermeable top layer

Impermeable backing layerAttractant incorporated into

structure of device

Attractant mostly stored in enclosed lumen

Laminate

More Advanced Lure Technology

Membrane systems

Release Rate Profile

days days

Per

cen

t re

mai

nin

g

Zero OrderFirst Order

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Ca

tch

/tra

p/w

ee

k

Weeks

Season trap catch for hypothetical insect

Detection threshold

Damage threshold

Generation peaks?

Interpreting the Information

Pheromone Monitoring

Pheromone Lures for over 1000s of species

Semiochemicals now come from many sources

1-octen-3-ol» An important flavour chemical in mushroom soup – is also an

attractant for mosquitoes and midges 4aS7S7aR-nepetalactone (cis,trans)

» Extracted from Nepeta cataria and used in many aspects of aphid pest management

para - menthane–3,8–diol» Extracted from lemon Eucalyptus citriodora and also synthesised

- is a good repellent for biting insects

Formulations of novel Semiochemicals

Nepetalactone in controlled release polymer dispensers

R-octenol and ammonia dispenser for mosquitoes

Control of Moth Pests with Sex Pheromones

Mating Disruption

Pheromones are released to interfere with the ability of male insects to locate females of the same species, thereby disrupting mating and controlling the damage to crops inflicted by the hatching larvae.

The Principal of Mating Disruption

Matrix Systems for Controlled Release

Frustrate PBW•Control of Pink Bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella in cotton•250 devices/ha applied once•Lasts 3-4 months

Selibate CS• Control of Chilo

suppressalis in rice• 40-100 devices/ha

applied once• Lasts 3-4 months

Reservoir Systems for Controlled Release of Pheromones

- Dispensers

Dispensers(Single or Double)

Twist-tie Ropes

Ampoules(Single or Double)

Reservoir Systems for Controlled Release of Pheromones

– Micro-Encapsulated Formulations.

Polymer Skin

Nucleus [active ingredient: component(s) of pheromone]

Formulations for:Pome Fruit Codling Moth

Cydia pomonella

Stone Fruit Oriental Fruit Moth Grapholita molestaPeach Twig BorerAnarsia lineatella

Vegetables Diamond Back Moth Plutella xylostella Beet Army Worm Spodoptera exigua

Reservoir Systems for Controlled Release of Pheromones

– Micro-Encapsulated Formulations

Reservoir Systems for Controlled Release of Pheromones

– Timed Release Aerosol Delivery

Deployment Strategies

A large number of low-dose point sources » CheckMate Microencapsulated formulations

50 - 100 million caps / ha per application

350 ng pheromone / capsule» Ecopom and Ecodian

2,500 point sources / ha applied 2 to 3 x

20 g A.I. per ha per application» Ecotape

4,000 point sources / ha

12 g A.I. Per ha.

Continuous self adhesive tape

Hand-Applied Dispensers» Isomate twist ties, RAK ampoules, and CheckMate membrane dispensers» 250 to 1000 dispensers per ha» 80 – 200 g A. I. per ha / season

Puffers» 2 to 3 per ha» 110 g A.I. per ha / season

Deployment Strategies

Situation Today and in the Future

Market for pheromone-based control products is about $200 million world-wide currently but growing at over 10% per annum

780,000 ha treated in 2010 with pheromone-based products

It has taken nearly 35 years to get to its current size. It is still under 3% of the world-wide Insecticide Market

($9 Billion) This is just the mating disruption market – in the future

there will be markets for repellents, arrestants, dipersal or alarm pheromones, attractants for beneficial insects and many more – All Requiring Controlled Release