STTR Phase II: Termite-derived enzymatic tree bio-herbicides

这项小型企业技术转让和研究（STTR）项目具有更广泛的影响和商业潜力，是一种利用生物可降解产品以生态友好的方式控制入侵或不需要的树木和灌木的方法。这将减少目前用于控制木本植物的合成除草剂和/或合成除草剂佐剂的数量。这在水道附近尤其需要，因为那里的植被管理者必须在昂贵的机械移除和对敏感生态系统的潜在危害之间做出选择。房主、园艺师、农民、环保主义者、公用事业公司和其他客户将有一种新产品来控制入侵的树木和灌木，这与成为环境的好管家的使命是一致的。这个STTR二期项目建议遵循白蚁仿生学原理的酶促生物除草剂或除草剂佐剂的初步成功的一期示范。本二期项目的目标是确定作用模式，开发高通量和中通量的体外和植物生物测定，优化产品配方，并证明对各种入侵物种的有效性，如灌木金银花（Lonicera maackii），天树（Ailanthus altissima），油光沙棘（Frangula alnus），竹（Phyllostachys aurea），以及潜在的其他物种。

The broader impact and commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer and Research (STTR) project is a method to control invasive or otherwise unwanted trees and shrubs in an ecologically friendly manner with a biodegradable product. This will reduce the quantity of synthetic herbicides and/or synthetic herbicide adjuvants currently applied to control woody plants. This is especially needed near waterways where vegetation managers must choose between expensive mechanical removal or potential harm to sensitive ecosystems. Homeowners, landscapers, farmers, conservationists, utilities, and other customers will have a new product to control invasive trees and shrubs consistent with a mission to be good stewards of the environment.This STTR Phase II project proposes to follow initial successful Phase I demonstrations of an enzymatic bio-herbicide or herbicide adjuvant following the principles of termite biomimicry. The objectives of this Phase II project are to identify the mode-of-action, develop high- and medium-throughput bioassays in vitro and in planta, optimize the product formulation, and demonstrate efficacy on various invasive species in the field such as bush honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii), tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus), bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea), and potentially others.