Invention:
This invention is a synthetic glycolipid pesticide to treat phytopathogens. The glycolipids is bioinspired fungicidal agrichemical to treat postharvest disease to ultimately enhance resilience and sustainability across agricultural and food systems. This environmentally friendly pesticide can be used a soil and seed treatment, foliar application, and post-harvested washing of produce. Compared to conventional pesticides, these materials have environmental compatibility, low toxicity, and a more targeted spectrum of activity again phytopathogens.
Background:
Phytopathogenic diseases cause substantial economic losses in fruit and vegetable production, posing a significant threat to global food security. Biosynthetic glycolipids have been developed as a way of controlling plant pathogens; however, they are complex to produce and can vary in consistency from batch-to-batch. Advances in synthetic chemistry enable the glycolipids with well-defined and customizable structures that can be tailored to have specific properties such as biodegradability and low phytotoxicity.
Applications:
- Biopesticide
- Agriculture applications
- Soil and seed treatment
- Foliar application
- Preventive and curative use
- Post-harvest produce wash
Advantages:
- Environmentally friendly
- Multiple application methods
- Lower toxicity compared to conventional pesticides
- More targeted spectrum of activity against phytopathogens
- Enhances resiliency of agriculture and food systems
