ISCA TECHNOLOGIES, INC. — Department of Agriculture SBIR Phase II: 8.1

Description

ISCA Technologies will further develop and optimize MCH Repel DFB and MCH Repel SB twosafe and effective semiochemical-based solutions to manage Douglas-fir beetle (DFB)Dendroctonus pseudotsugae and spruce beetle (SB) D. rufipennis two of the most damagingforest pests in western North America. DFB is a leading killer of Douglas-fir from northern Mexicoto southern Canada with infestations occurring after wildfires or windstorms which producewidespread tree mortality and damage and consequently an abundance of beetle host material.DFB impacts are being exacerbated by climate change which increases beetle survival during thewinter and also puts more stress on trees. SB is the leading cause of mortality among mature sprucetrees from Alaska to Arizona destroying ~333-500 million board feet of timber annually. Suchextensive tree mortality depletes timber supplies increases fire frequency and severity anddisrupts forest management planning and operations. Current control tactics for DFB and SB arelimited to silvicultural treatments to improve forest health and increase tree stand vigor strategicremoval of infested trees preventative single-tree treatments using large quantities of toxicinsecticides and hand application of plastic dispensers containing the anti-aggregation pheromone3-methylcycolhex-2-en-1-one (MCH) which have proven unreliable for control of SB.In this Phase II project ISCA will finalize the development and commercialize two non-toxicrepellent products MCH Repel DFB and MCH Repel SB to protect trees and forests from DFBand SB. Both products will comprise thick flowable long-lasting formulations amenable to® mechanical application combining MCH with a biodegradable controlled-release matrix SPLAT(Specialized Pheromone & Lure Application Technology). MCH Repel SB will include threeadditional repellent semiochemicals [acetophenone (E)-2-hexen-1-ol and (Z)-2-hexen-1-ol] toimprove its efficacy against SB. These products will release biologically active doses of repellentsfor up to 4 months preventing beetle mass attacks and providing season-long protection ofsusceptible trees. Phase I studies demonstrated that ISCA's prototype MCH Repel DFBbiodegradable formulation protects individual Douglas-fir trees and stands from DFB to anequivalent degree as MCH bubblecaps which release MCH through porous plastic pouches butwithout the costly need to retrieve the plastic units at the end of the field season. In a field trial inWyoming MCH Repel SB was superior to bubblecaps in suppressing SB infestations. Phase IIstudies will build on Phase I successes by developing operational formulations suitable forcommercialization with the necessary validation of efficacy data from field trials in severallocations in western North American forests.Our objectives for PII studies will be to: 1) Develop optimize characterize and standardizeoperational formulations of MCH Repel DFB & MCH Repel SB suitable for commercialization.2) Validate efficacy of MCH Repel DFB and foster technology transfer to end users by conductingoperational field trials in western North American Douglas-fir forests. 3) Elevate MCH Repel SBto the same developmental stage as MCH Repel DFB by accelerating small-plot experiments inAlaska and the lower 48 states. 4) Validate efficacy of MCH Repel SB and foster technologytransfer by conducting operational field trials in western North American spruce forests. 5) Involvestakeholders in problem identification and implementation of results. Deliverables from Phase IIwill be optimized scientifically validated operational formulations of MCH Repel DFB and MCHRepel SB for commercial use throughout western North American forests.