Proof of concept for a new insecticidal soap

以天然脂肪酸为基础的棕榈油肥皂，已经被人们熟知多年，并被批准用于控制各种昆虫。然而，它们的应用受到以下事实的严重限制：如果它们以高于2%的浓度施用，它们会对植物本身造成广泛的损害。在一些市场，如美国，这意味着它们的使用受到严格限制，通常没有替代品，特别是对于“有机”作物。我们已经开发了一种新的改性杀虫肥皂，并表明它在控制一系列昆虫方面同样有效，但在4 - 6%的施用水平下不会引起植物毒性。我们对潜在的应用进行了详细的市场调查，在申请发明专利方面得到了支持，并确定了热衷于将产品推向市场的潜在合作伙伴公司。该奖项将使我们能够采取初步的小规模配方工作和田间试验，我们已经做了，以提供一个完整的概念证明，该产品可以生产在一个商业上可接受的成本，它伊萨个非常有效的杀虫剂（对一系列物种，如螨、蓟马、蚜虫和粉虱），它显示出低植物毒性（针对一些敏感植物，如葡萄，桃，油桃，黄瓜，辣椒，茄子），并且有一条明确的市场路线，合作伙伴公司到位，以提供供应安全，并在英国，欧洲，美国和发展中国家。

Insecticidal soaps, based on natural fatty acids, have been known for many years and areapproved for use in controlling a wide range of insects. However, their application is severelylimited by the fact that, if they are applied at a concentration above 2 %, they can causeextensive damage to the plant itself. In some markets, such as the US, this has meant that theiruse has been severely restricted, and often there is no alternative available, particularly for'organic' crops. We have developed a novel modified insecticidal soap and shown that it isequally effective in controlling a range of insects, but that it causes no phytotoxicity at 4 - 6 %application levels. We have carried out a detailed market survey of potential applications,have been provided with support in patenting the invention, and identified potential partnercompanies keen to take the product to market. This award would allow us to take the initialsmall scale formulation work and field trials we have already done to provide a completedproof of concept that the product can be produced at a commercially acceptable cost, that it isa very effective insecticide (against a range of species such as mites, thrip, aphids andwhitefly), that it shows low phytotoxicity (towards a number of sensitive plants such as vines,peach, nectarine, cucumber, ornamentals, peppers, aubergine) and that there is a clear route tomarket, with partner companies in place to provide security of supply, and distribution intomarkets in the UK, Europe, US and the developing world.