SBIR Phase II: Controlling plant pathogens with novel seed treatments based on nematode-produced ascarosides

这一小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目的更广泛影响是开发一种新的种子处理技术，该技术基于自然产生的小分子，已被证明能够强烈激活植物对各种农业重要病原体的天然防御。拟议的创新在极低的浓度下具有活性，可以很容易地大量合成，并且是可生物降解的无毒的。每年使用600多种不同类型的化学杀虫剂约5亿公斤；这估计耗资100亿美元，但37%的农作物仍被虫害和病原体摧毁。通过提供一种替代的、有效的方法来管理农作物中的疾病，将减少对现有农用化学品、合成杀菌剂和抗生素的依赖，以及抗药性的发展速度。这项拟议的研究将确立一种天然小分子作为作物保护剂的可行性，并可以通过减少潜在有害杀虫剂的使用并显著增强全球粮食安全来改善农业的经济和环境可持续性。拟议的项目旨在通过利用一类在植物中引发特定免疫反应的自然产生的小分子来开发一种新的植物病原体控制方法。拟议的项目将展示一种在田间条件下能够长期稳定和有效的种衣剂配方，既不会对种子萌发/生长产生不利影响，也不会对自然微生物/昆虫种群产生不利影响。该项目的目标是1)在小麦和大豆上进行针对三种高影响病原体的多地点田间试验，以确认种子处理的有效性；2)进行温室研究，以调查种子和喷雾处理的潜在协同效应，包括与其他作物保护剂的组合；3)确定种子或喷雾处理对大豆线虫侵扰的影响；4)扩大有效成分的化学合成并优化种衣剂配方。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) phase II project is to develop a novel seed treatment technology, based on naturally occurring small molecules proven to strongly activate plant’s natural defenses against a wide range of agriculturally important pathogens. The proposed innovation is active at extremely low concentrations, can be readily synthesized in large quantities, and is biodegradable and non-toxic. Every year, approximately 500 million kg of more than 600 different chemical pesticide types are used; this costs an estimated $10 billion and yet 37% of all crops are still destroyed by pests and pathogens. By providing an alternative, effective method for managing diseases in crops, dependence on existing agrochemicals, synthetic fungicides and antibiotics will be reduced, as will the rate of resistance development. The proposed research will establish viability of a natural small molecule as a crop protectant and can improve the economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture by reducing the use of potentially harmful pesticides and significantly enhancing global food security.The proposed project seeks to develop a novel control for plant pathogens by leveraging a class of small, naturally occurring molecules that elicit specific immune responses in plants. The proposed project will demonstrate a seed-coating formulation capable of long-term stability and efficacy under field conditions, adversely affecting neither seed germination/ growth nor natural microbe/insect populations. The project objectives are to 1) Perform multi-location field trials with wheat and soybean against three high-impact pathogens to confirm efficacy of seed treatments; 2) Conduct greenhouse studies to investigate potential synergies of seed and spray treatments, including in combination with other crop protection agents; 3) Determine effects of seed or spray treatments on nematode infestation in soybean; 4) Scale chemical synthesis of the active ingredient and optimize the seed-coating formulation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.