Market assessment of feeding deterrents agains cabbage looper, a pest of vegetable crops.

白菜环虫（Trichoplusia ni， T. ni）是一种广泛存在于许多蔬菜作物中的害虫。如果蛾类数量多，其幼虫会造成严重的叶片损害。T. ni的一个问题是，它是已知的最具杀虫剂抗性的害虫之一。因此，开发替代技术是很有意义的，这种技术不直接杀死昆虫，而是阻止它们以寄主植物为食。Plettner小组已经发现了对T. ni有活性的合成化合物，作为非杀虫的摄食威慑剂。这些化合物制备简单，具有良好的物理性质，是新型镍控制工具的有希望的候选者。本提案旨在资助一项市场研究，以评估T. ni的重要性以及目前园艺中针对该昆虫的控制措施。本研究将解决的问题是：1)影响园艺的害虫，主要在加拿大；2)对园艺害虫防治新方法的需求（机遇）；3)农民对采用新的虫害防治措施的兴趣；4)目前使用的方法；5)现有方法存在的问题；（六）新技术发展的障碍；7)克服障碍的建议；8)技术开发的潜在合作伙伴。工作计划将包括：确定目标和修订计划的初步咨询，对现有信息（包括文献）进行审查，编制待访谈专家名单和访谈指南，对已确定的专家名单进行访谈，估计潜在市场规模，召开进展会议，确定潜在的被许可人，对一个地区的蔬菜种植者进行调查（根据先前的结果进行选择），最后协商会议和最后报告的编写。

The cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (T. ni), is a widespread pest of many vegetable crops. The larvae of this moth cause severe leaf damage if the moth population is high. One problem with T. ni is that it is one of the most insecticide resistant pests known. Therefore, it is of interest to develop alternative technologies, in which the insects are not killed directly but are deterred from feeding on their host plants. The Plettner group has discovered synthetic compounds that have activity against T. ni as non-insecticidal feeding deterrents. The compounds are promising candidates for new T. ni control tools, because they are easy to prepare and have advantageous physical properties. This proposal is for funding of a market study, to assess the importance of T. ni and the current control measures used against this insect in horticulture. The questions this study will address are: 1) the pests affecting horticulture, mainly in Canada; 2) the need for new insect pest control methods in horticulture (opportunity); 3) the interest of farmers in adopting new insect pest controls; 4) methods currently used; 5) problems with the current methods; 6) barriers to the development of the proposed new technology; 7) proposals to overcome the barriers; and 8) potential partners for development of the technology. The work plan will consist of: an initial consultation to confirm the objectives and revise the plan, a review of information available (including literature), compilation of a list of experts to be interviewed and of interview guidelines, conducting of interviews with the identified list of experts, estimation of the potential market size, a progress meeting, the identification of potential licensees, a survey of vegetable growers in a region (chosen based on previous results), a final consultation meeting and preparation of the final report.