Novel nematicidal agents to improve crop production

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This proposal seeks to fund the development of a novel nematicidal agent for crop protection. A major threat to good production everywhere is crop destruction by plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs). Globally, PPNs are estimated to cause $350 billion in crop losses every year. In some cases, PPNs reduce crop yield by over 80%. As global temperatures rise, the rate of crop infestation by PPNs will increase and additional PPN species will become new threats to Canadian agriculture. Clearly, PPNs pose a serious threat to global food security.Although sound agricultural practices, biologicals, and GMOs can reduce PPN infestation, the more than 4000 different PPN species find ways to circumvent these innovations. Small molecule nematicides have consequently been essential for PPN control strategies. Concerns over environmental toxicity and human safety have justifiably prompted restrictions and bans on many effective nematicides, including the fumigant methyl bromide, and neurotoxic organophosphates and carbamates. Regulations have limited the number of available nematicides such that there are no longer reliable control options for several PPN species, including Meloidogyne hapla that parasitizes Canadian potatoes, onion, tomatoes, grapes and other crops. There is a clear need to develop new, safe and effective chemical tools to control PPNs.The Roy Lab has discovered a new class of unsaturated imidazothiazole compounds (UICs) that are effective against PPNs in greenhouse-based plant infectivity tests. The UICs are selective for PPNs, demonstrating no obvious effects on non-target organisms such as plants, human cells, and mice. Our lead candidate from this series is equally effective as, or better than, commercial nematicides at blocking PPN infection, but has greater selectivity for PPNs overall. We have filed a provisional patent covering the utility of the UICs against PPNs.Here, we request I2I Phase I funding to synthesize additional UIC analogs, carry out larger-scale greenhouse assays against PPNs, and perform additional toxicity tests with a variety of other non-target organisms. This funding is key to developing a marketable nematicide from the UICs.