Location: Agroecosystem Management Research
Project Number: 3042-32000-011-008-I
Project Type: Interagency Reimbursable Agreement
Start Date: Mar 31, 2022
End Date: Mar 31, 2025
Objective:
1. Determine which natural product-based deterrents best repel horntail snails, and other target invasive snails (i.e., Zachrysia provisoria, Bradybaena similaris, and Bulimulus guadalupensis) under field conditions.
2. Determine whether different carriers (wax, silica gels, and quick dry pastes) extend the longevity of the gastropod repellents.
3. Determine how rain and irrigation effects the longevity and durability of the optimized repellant formulations.
4. Determine whether the deterrents in a durable carrier can protect nursery pots in field cage studies.
Approach:
A mixture of candidate natural products, coconut FFA and catnip oil will be purchased from commercial vendors (ACME HARDESTY, Blue Bell, PA and Bramble/Natural Liberty Inc.), and Solvent and carriers will be purchased from General Services Administration (GSA) venders. Repellent ingredients will be mixed with commercial available, wax, gel, rubber and other potential carriers that will be imbeded into a 3-D printing ring molds. The making proto0type products will be further lab and field tests against garden snails in APHIS lab in Miami for their effectiveness and longevity.
