Mimicking natural deterrent strategies in plants using adhesive

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: van Zwieten, Ralph; Bierman, Thijs V.; Klinkhamer, Peter G. L.; Bezemer, T. Martijn; Vrieling, Klaas; Kodger, Thomas E.
• 署名单位: Wageningen University & Research; Leiden University - Excl LUMC; Leiden University
• 刊物名称: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0027-11378
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2321565121
• 发表日期: 2024-05-21
• 关键词: mechanical-properties; arthropods; traps

摘要

With a continuous increase in world population and food production, chemical pesticide use is growing accordingly, yet unsustainably. As chemical pesticides are harmful to the environment and developmental resistance in pests is increasing, a sustainable and effective pesticide alternative is needed. Inspired by nature, we mimic one defense strategy of plants, glandular trichomes, to shift away from using chemical pesticides by moving toward a physical immobilization strategy via adhesive particles. Through controlled oxidation of a biobased starting material, triglyceride oils, an adhesive material is created while monitoring the reactive intermediates. After being milled into particles, nanoindentation shows these particles to be adhesive even at low contact forces. A suspension of particles is then sprayed and found to be effective at immobilizing a target pest, thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis . Small arthropod pests, like thrips, can cause crop damage through virus transfer, which is prevented by their immobilization. We show that through a scalable fabrication process, biosourced materials can be used to create an effective, sustainable physical pesticide.