United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary of Agriculture

Pheronym, Inc.

California Institute of Technology

Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research

Fatma Kaplan

Frank Clemens Schroeder

Paul W Sternberg

Hans T Alborn

Andrea Choe

Peter E A Teal

Joseph C Dickens

Stephan H Von Reuss

Ashot Khrimian

David I Shapiro Ilan

Arthur S Edison

Stephen L Lapointe

Cameron Schiller

Peter Edmund Alan Teal

Peter A Teal

Jagan Srinivasan

Abigail Perret-gentil

Disclosed are methods for increasing infectivity of entomopathogenic nematodes in any target area for the purposes of insect control, said method comprising:

Methods and compositions for increasing infectivity of entomopathogenic nematodes

Plant parasitic nematodes prefer to infect uninfected over infected hosts. A specific mixture of pheromones (a.k.a. ascarosides) tells plant parasitic nematodes the host status. We use a mixture of pheromones to direct nematodes away from the healthy roots. The pheromone mixture will be used for seed treatments to protect plant roots from infection by telling the nematodes that the plant is already infested and that they should move away and find new hosts. Chemical synthesis of pheromones is expensive, particularly when it is contains multiple compounds. Therefore, we obtained a partial mixture fromgrowth medium which provided 15% more directional movement away from the application site. We complete the necessary pheromone from the growth medium ofspecies to direct nematodes away from the seeds and roots of healthy plants. The pheromone mixture will be used to in the irrigation water or seed treatment to direct the plant parasitic nematodes away from the plant roots.

Methods and compositions comprising nematode signalling compounds

Nematode dispersal is one of the key features for success as a biocontrol agent. Currently, commercially available nematodes do not disperse sufficiently when they are applied to a field. Since the insect target is mobile, nematodes need to be actively moving and seeking an insect host. We developed a pheromone extract from nematode growth medium that disperses nematodes. This extract was unstable in liquid form. We have found that the extract can be dried to retain activity during storage or shipment. Exposing nematodes to pheromone extract before they are applied to a field activates them to disperse and seek a new host. This exposure needs to be at least 20 min. When nematodes are actively seeking a new host this increases nematode insect encounter and increases insect mortality leading to increased effectiveness of insect nematodes as biological control agents.

Nematode dispersant composition and method

The present invention relates to methods of modifying nematode behavior using certain isolated modulator compounds. Also disclosed are methods of promoting or inhibiting reproduction in a nematode population, methods of promoting or inhibiting nematode aggregation at a first location, and methods of treating or preventing parasite infection of a plant.

Small molecule compounds that control plant- and insect-pathogenic nematodes

An unsaturated hydroxyl-ester pheromone for the neotropical root weevilhas been isolated, identified and synthesized. It is useful for trapping the weevil to reduce or prevent damage to plants.

[object Object]

A pheromonal compound produced byhas been identified as 5R-(3'-O-[&#x3b2;-D-glucosyl]-tetrahydro-3&#x2032;R,5&#x2032;R-dihydroxy-6&#x2032;S-methyl-2H-pyran-2&#x2032;R-yloxy)-2-hexanone. The novel compound, in combination with other ascarosides, elicit a synergistic signaling response from various adult malespp.

Ascarosides as nematode sex pheromones

Growing community of inventors

Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Fatma Kaplan