Microbial And Biotechnology Applications For Insect Pest Management

Docket Number: 4907
Serial Number: 11704565

Technology Description:  Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have discovered Chromobacterium suttsuga (C. suttsuga), a biopesticide that could serve as an alternative to synthetic chemical pesticides.  C. suttsuga produces active metabolites that possess insecticidal activity, which can be used for corn crops for protecting against corn rootworm. C. suttsuga can also be used on plants such as cabbage, kale, mustard, and broccoli to protect against diamondback moths.  It can be sprayed directly to the plants.  C. suttsuga is suitable for use against whiteflies, which feed on sap from crop plants such as cotton and cultivated vegetables--destroying the plants.  Whiteflies are very difficult to control because they not only attack commercially-grown crops, but also ornamentals.  This invention kills Colorado Potato Beetles more efficiently than other insecticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).  Due to increased Bt resistance, ARS’s invention could be a candidate for Bt replacement.  This new invention is versatile.  It can be used as a spreading agent, emulsifier, stabilizer, sticking agent, or thickener.  C. suttsuga can also be applied to soil, plant roots, foliage, stems and flowers, as well as seeds and seedlings.                               ARS’s invention is effective in controlling insect pests with high levels of pesticide resistance, especially the Colorado Potato Beetle.  Its performance surpasses the results of other commercial biopesticides.   Biotechnology companies that manufacture or develop chemical insecticides for pest control could use this technology.   Reference:  Please refer to S.N. 11/704,565 (Docket #0049.07), "Chromobacterium suttsuga sp.nov. and Use for Control of Insect Pests, which was filed on February 8, 2007, and is a divisional of USPN 7,244,607 (Docket # 0136.02), which issued on July 17, 2007.  Foreign rights are available.   Inventors:   Phyllis A. Martin Insect Biocontrol Laboratory Beltsville, MD  20705 Phone: (301) 504-6331    Fax: (301) 504-8190 pmartin@ba.ars.usda.gov                                                 Ashaki D. Shropshire (Same as first inventor) Dawn E. Gunersen-Rindal (Same as first inventor) Michael B. Blackburn (Same as first inventor)