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.
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Tracking Insecticidal Activity of Peptide-based Insecticide Across Insect Assays
Cornell, Rachel E. (Kalamazoo, Mich. : Kalamazoo College, 2022)Insect control as well as insecticide resistance and management is essential to maintain and expand the agricultural industry. As such, the need for effective and safe insecticides is increasingly important as cases of ... -
Impact of precipitation and aging on the performance of insecticides to control the Japanese beetle on grape leaves
Hulbert, Daniel L. (Kalamazoo, Mich. : Kalamazoo College., 2009)Pest management is one of the greatest challenges facing growers of specialty crops. Currently the most effective methods for controlling insect pests is through spraying chemical insecticides. While effective, there ... -
Effects of Surfactants on Rainfastness of Reduced-Risk Agricultural Insecticides
Spica, James P., Jr. (Kalamazoo College, 2011)Control of pest insects in agriculture is vital to protection of food crops. This experiment examined the rainfastness provided by surfactants to certain reduced-risk insecticides designed to control fruit crop infestation ...