Biocontrol Agent To Use Aphid Chemicals
18 May 2010 COLLEGE STATION, Texas, US — Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists at the Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center are examining the biochemistry of aphids with the aim of developing a biocontrol agent for the pests. Aphids have shown signs of developing some insecticide resistance to the agrochemicals commonly used to fight it, creating a need for alternative methods of crop protection.
The project works with neuropeptides — chemical signals that control and regulate a wide range of bodily functions, such as digestion, respiration, water intake and excretions. When the neuropeptide is broken down by the body’s enzymes, the effect triggered by the chemical signal is turned off. The neuropeptide mimics, or analogues, the research team is developing have slightly altered molecular structures that will not break down when attacked by enzymes. The goal is to kill the pest by disrupting its biological functions.
In a study recently published in the journal Peptides, scientists working on the project found that one formulation killed 90% to 100% of aphids in their test sample within three days, at a rate and potency comparable to insecticides now on the market. While the neuropeptide analogues are currently being tested and evaluated, the researchers say that the molecular structures of the insect kinins (the class of neuropeptides being studied) are so unique that a biocontrol agent formulated from them is unlikely to have any effect on humans, plants or other types of organisms.
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