Tracking Insecticidal Activity Across Entomologic Assays Informing the Development of the Peptide-based Insecticide 7304

Abstract

At the forefront of addressing insecticide resistance is the development of peptide-based insecticides. These are highly effective at pest management without harmful environmental and non-target species impacts commonly associated with synthetic pesticide use. This study analyzes the development of Vestaron’s® second peptide-based product, 7304; the original peptide (7300); and two other strains of the peptide family with beneficial mutations (7302 and 7305). The peptides were assessed in proportion knockdown injection and feeding assays with house flies (M. domestica), corn earworm larvae (H. zea), and fruit flies (D. melanogaster). Based on prior research, it was hypothesized there would be a significant difference in 95% confidence intervals between at least two of the 7300 family peptides across the assays (H0: No significant difference in 95% confidence intervals between the 7300 family peptides). KD50 values and 95% confidence intervals generated in R Studio revealed there was no significant difference between the 7300 family peptides in the injection assays and D. melanogaster feeding assay, failing to reject the null hypothesis. Conversely, the corn earworm feeding assay rejected the null hypothesis. These conclusions were consistent with preliminary findings. The corn earworm feeding assay elucidates 7300’s inability to withstand the Lepidoptera gut and exemplifies 7302’s increased gut stability due its strain mutation. Imidacloprid, Spinosad®, and Vestaron’s® Spear® were included in assays to compare 7300 family peptides with insecticides used in the pest-management industry. Peptide-based insecticides compete with chemical synthetics, minimize environmental and non-target species impacts, and contribute to insect resistance management practices.