Location: Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory
Project Number: 8042-22000-315-033-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2024
End Date: Oct 31, 2026
Objective:
ARS and cooperator are joint patent holders for pheromone synthesis for the striped cucumber beetle (specifically, vittatalactone). Objective is to improve and refine the synthesis so as to enable commercialization of the pheromone by other candidate companies making lures and to enable tactics to implement behavioral control in cucurbits and other vegetables.
Approach:
In order to improve and refine the synthesis of for use as a tool in sustainable pest management, this collaboration will rely on the chemical synthesis expertise of Cooperator scientists, and the insect behavior and agricultural expertise of ARS scientists to test their preparations, using methods such as laboratory bioassays and field scale trapping studies.
