Does TreeAzin® Systemic Insecticide have fungicidal properties?

外来入侵物种(EIS)对加拿大的环境、经济和社会构成重大威胁。特别是，外来入侵昆虫和真菌因导致多种树种的树木死亡而臭名昭著。例如，所有北美白蜡树物种似乎都容易受到外来钻木甲虫翡翠白蜡虫(EAB)的侵扰。自2002年发现以来，EAB已蔓延到美国18个州和加拿大两个省，数百万棵白蜡树因此死亡。为了保护树木免受虫害，BioForest Technologies Inc.使用微量注射系统将TreeAzin®全身杀虫剂应用到树木中；这种处理方法可在至少2年的时间内保护虫害。生物森林技术公司还分销一种杀菌剂Arbotect 20-S，以保护树木免受荷兰榆树病的侵袭。有证据表明，TreeAzin®全身杀虫剂的活性物质印楝素可能具有杀菌或抑菌特性。然而，这还没有在导致加拿大树木死亡的优先外来入侵真菌中进行测试。该项目将确定TreeAzin®或该产品的改进版本是否真的对导致树木死亡的病原体具有抗真菌作用，以及在何种浓度下。该项目还将比较TreeAzin®与生物森林技术公司目前使用的Arbotect 20-S等其他抗真菌产品的比较情况。如果TreeAzin®具有所需的抗真菌特性，生物森林技术公司的长期目标是扩大其TreeAzin®系统杀虫剂标签，将真菌也包括在内。

Exotic invasive species (EIS) pose a major threat to Canada's environment, economy and society. In particular, exotic invasive insects and fungi are notorious for causing tree mortality to a large variety of tree species. For instance, all North American ash tree species appear to be vulnerable to infestation by the exotic wood-boring beetle Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). Since its detection in 2002, EAB has spread across 18 USA states and two Canadian provinces and millions of ash trees have died as a result. To protect trees against insect attack, BioForest Technologies Inc. uses a microinjection system to apply TreeAzin® Systemic Insecticide into trees; a treatment that confers protection to insect attack for at least 2 years. BioForest Technologies Inc also distributes a fungicide, Arbotect 20-S, to protect trees from Dutch Elm disease. There is evidence that the active agent of TreeAzin® Systemic Insecticide, azadirachtin, may have fungicidal or fungistatic properties. However, this has not been tested in priority exotic invasive fungi causing tree mortality in Canada. This project will determine whether TreeAzin® or an improved version of the product is indeed anti-fungal against the disease agents causing tree mortality and at what concentrations. The project will also compare how TreeAzin® compares against other antifungal products such as Arbotect 20-S which is currently used by BioForest Technologies Inc. If TreeAzin® has the required anti fungal properties the long-term goal of BioForest Technologies Inc is to expand its TreeAzin® Systemic Insecticide label to also include fungi.