Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/21

Outputs
Target Audience:This USDA SBIR project aims to develop SPLAT FAW, a semiochemical mating disruption (MD) technology, to effectively and economically manage populations of Spodoptera frugiperda, the fall armyworm (FAW), in row crops such as corn, soybean, and cotton. SPLAT FAW is formulated with a chemically synthesized, nature-identical FAW sex pheromone blend and is designed to be applied to crops under threat by the pest. For a period of 4-8 weeks, the formulation suppresses male moths' ability to locate suitable mates by producing an overabundance of sex pheromone-emitting point sources that over-compete calling females for the attention of mate-seeking males. FAW populations then stay small as most of the eggs are not fertilized. This product will provide an excellent alternative mode of action to control FAW, whether or not the pest has developed resistance to other pesticides [either genetically modified (GM) traits, conventional pesticides, or both] in the region where SPLAT FAW is being applied. SPLAT FAW will provide growers around the globe with an effective and inexpensive tool to safely control S. frugiperda in row crops at a time when the insect is developing resistance to Bt proteins expressed in the GM corn and cotton varieties that now dominate the planted acreage in the US. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The overall objective of this project is to optimize and conduct large-scale deployment of SPLAT FAW, an aerially applied mating disruption formulation for protection of row crops from Spodoptera frugiperda. Field trials were conducted to evaluate varying doses and application intervals of SPLAT FAW and Noctovi, a commercial ISCA attract and kill product that targeted Noctuid moths, in non-Bt maize crops in two farms (called 'Colibri' and 'San Diego') in the municipalities of Santo Antônio do Leverger and Dom Aquino, in the southern region of the Mato Grosso State of Brazil. The evaluated treatments were: Treatment 1: Noctovi applied at 1.0 kg/ha (4 applications); Treatment 2: Noctovi applied at 1.0 kg/ha + SPLAT FAW applied at 0.5 kg/ha (2 applications); Treatment 3: Noctovi applied at 1.0 kg/ha + SPLAT FAW applied at 1.0 kg/ha (2 applications); Treatment 4: Noctovi applied at 1.0 kg/ha + SPLAT FAW applied at 1.5 kg/ha (2 applications); Treatment 5: Control (farm management). For Treatments 1, 2, 3, and 4, the attractant Noctovi formulation was mixed with the carbamate insecticide, methomyl, at 2% AI. Two experimental areas were used in this trial, each 300 ha in size (600 ha total). Each plot area assigned to receive one of the five treatments listed above was 50 ha in size. Terrestrial applications of the formulations, SPLAT FAW and Noctovi, were made using a motor vehicle (motorcycle and/or tractor) fitted with a model U32 equipped with four peristaltic pumps. The vehicle moved through the crop area at a speed of ~20 km/h, applying the formulations on the leaves of the maize plants in point sources 15-20 mm in diameter. The effects of the applied treatments were evaluated on the basis of several criteria, including the following weekly evaluations: A) Male adults of Spodoptera frugiperda captured per trap per day (MTD); B) Percentage of plants with pin-hole lesions 'Davis 1'; C) Percentage of plants with lesions 'Davis ≥3' on leaves (6 points x 80 plants = 480 samples); D) Percentage of plants infested with S. frugiperda larvae (6 points x 80 plants = 480 samples). For weekly monitoring of adult male S. frugiperda (Criteria A), bucket traps baited with a species-specific pheromone lure (rubber septum), 1 L of water, and three drops of neutral detergent. Twelve traps (repetitions) were used per treatment, with six traps placed on each farm. Trap evaluations were carried out weekly from the emergence stage of the crop (VE) to the tassel stage (VT). For Criteria B, C, and D, 480 plant samples were evaluated per repetition (480 samples per repetition x 2 repetitions per treatment x 5 treatments = 4,800 plants evaluated per week). In addition to these weekly evaluations, we performed evaluations at the end of the season estimating productivity and comparing it with the actual yield value obtained at harvest. Over the course of this product development, all four of ISCA's semiochemical-based FAW control treatments achieved significant improvements over standard farm management practices on one or more measurements of control efficacy: male moth monitoring, percentage of plants with pinhole damage, percentage of plants with damage ranking 3 or higher on the Davis Scale, percentage of damaged or larvae-infested corn ears, and estimated or actual yields. While no one treatment achieved significant improvements across all of these metrics, all treatments succeeded in increasing crop yields above what was generated in control plots--arguably the ultimate measure of efficacy for a pest control application. Treatment 3, combining Noctovi with the 1.0-kg/ha application rate of SPLAT FAW, produced the largest increase in yield at 25.25%, followed by Treatment 4 (23.92%), Treatment 2 (12.25%), and Treatment 1 (11.56%).

Publications

Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20

Outputs
Target Audience:Development of SPLAT FAW answers national and international calls to control FAW via safer, more sustainable means, including calls by the EPA, Feed the Future, and the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization. SPLAT FAW is made from safe, naturally occurring compounds and will qualify to serve a growing number of organic farms. Unlike traditional pesticides, SPLAT FAW controls FAW by disrupting the mating of adult moths, including Bt-resistant moths. Until recently, mating disruption to control pests on large-acreage row crops was believed to be unfeasible because of the high cost of synthetic pheromones ($1,000-3,000/kg). ISCA has removed this cost barrier by developing more efficient ways to produce synthetic FAW sex pheromones pheromone, at a much lower cost. Changes/Problems:With luck, the COVID pandemic has not impacted this project as severely as initially predicted. The field trials occurred in Brazil prior to the larger second wave outbreak of the disease, and progress on the remaining tasks at the US facility continues to be on schedule. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The field demonstrations showing excellent results in increasing non-Bt corn yields in 2020 puts ISCA in a prime position to begin marketing the product after registration completion in PIII of this project. The increasing gains associated with increasing application volumes allows our sales and marketing team to directly target specific regional markets with a range of product application and pricing options. This project stands to be one of the most promising for ISCA to date.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? In the 2019/2020 crop season we carried out experiments to evaluate doses and application intervals of Splat FAW and Noctovi (a commercial ISCA attract and kill product) in non-Bt maize crops in two farms ('Colibri' and 'San Diego'), in the municipalities of Santo Antônio do Leverger and Dom Aquino, in Southern region of the Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Material & Methods The evaluated treatments were: T1) Noctovi 1.0 kg/ha (x4 applications); T2) Noctovi 1.0 kg/ha + Splat FAW 0.5 kg/ha (x2 applications); T3) Noctovi 1.0 kg/ha + Splat FAW 1.0 kg/ha (x2 applications); T4) Noctovi 1.0 kg/ha + Splat FAW 1.5 kg/ha (x2 applications); T5) Control (farm management). Each plot area was 50 ha, and each experimental area 300 ha x 2 locations (600 ha total). For the treatments from T1 to T4, the attractant Noctovi was previously mixed with Methomyl insecticide at 2% a.i. Terrestrial applications (motorcycle and/or tractor) were made using four peristaltic pumps model U32 coupled to the motorcycle (applied at ~20 km/h). Deposition of spots on leaves were 15-20 mm in diameter each. For weekly monitoring of adults of Spodoptera frugiperda, 'Bucket' traps baited with specific pheromone (rubber septum), one liter of water (constant volume) and three drops of neutral detergent were used. 12 traps (repetitions) were used per treatment, 6 traps in each farm. The trap evaluations were carried out at weekly intervals, from the emergence stage (VE) to the tassel stage (VT) to obtain the following parameters: A) Male adults of Spodoptera frugiperda captured per trap per day (MTD); B) % plants with pin-hole lesions 'Davis 1'; C) % plants with lesions 'Davis ≥3' on leaves (6 points x 80 plants = 480 samples); D) % Infested plants (6 points x 80 plants = 480 samples). Sample effort = 480 samples per repetition x 2 repetitions per treatment x 5 treatments = 4,800 plants evaluated per week. Also, we performed end crop season evaluations, estimating productivity and comparing it with the real yield value obtained in the harvest.

Publications