Does TreeAzin® Systemic Insecticide have fungicidal properties?

外来入侵物种对加拿大的环境、经济和社会构成了重大威胁。特别是外来的入侵昆虫和真菌是造成大量树种死亡的罪魁祸首。例如，所有的北美白蜡树物种似乎都很容易受到外来蛀木甲虫翡翠白蜡树（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，导致数百万棵白蜡树死亡。为了保护树木免受昆虫的侵害，biofforest技术公司使用显微注射系统将TreeAzin®系统杀虫剂应用到树木中；一种对昆虫攻击提供至少2年保护的治疗方法。biofforest技术公司还销售一种杀菌剂Arbotect 20-S，以保护树木免受荷兰榆树病的侵害。有证据表明，TreeAzin®系统杀虫剂的活性成分印楝素可能具有杀真菌或抑真菌的特性。然而，这还没有在加拿大引起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确实具有抗真菌作用，以何种浓度对抗导致树木死亡的病原体。该项目还将比较TreeAzin®与其他抗真菌产品（如biofforest Technologies Inc.目前使用的Arbotect 20-S）的比较。如果TreeAzin®具有所需的抗真菌特性，那么biofforest Technologies Inc .的长期目标是将其TreeAzin®系统杀虫剂标签扩展到包括真菌。

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.