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，外来入侵昆虫和真菌是臭名昭著的造成树木死亡的各种树种。例如，所有北美的白蜡树物种似乎都容易受到外来的钻木甲虫Emerald Ash Borer（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，数百万棵白蜡树因此死亡。为了保护树木免受昆虫的攻击，生物森林技术公司。使用微量注射系统将TreeAzin®系统性杀虫剂施用于树木;这种治疗方法可保护树木免受昆虫攻击至少2年。生物森林技术公司还分发了一种杀菌剂，Arbotect 20-S，以保护树木免受荷兰榆树病。有证据表明，TreeAzin®系统性抑制剂的活性剂印楝素可能具有杀真菌或抑制真菌的特性。然而，这还没有在加拿大导致树木死亡的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对导致树木死亡的病原体具有抗真菌作用以及浓度。该项目还将比较TreeAzin®与其他抗真菌产品的比较，如BioForest Technologies Inc.目前使用的Arbotect 20-S。如果TreeAzin®具有所需的抗真菌特性，BioForest Technologies Inc的长期目标是将其TreeAzin®全身抑制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.