Researchers Secure US Patent for Innovative Biopesticide to Boost Drought Resistance in Crops

Recently, researchers led by Prof. SHAO Hua from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, secured a US patent (Patent No.: US 12,232,493 B2). This patent presents an innovative application of terrein as a biopesticide formulation aimed at enhancing drought resistance and promoting crop growth.

The patented method involves either soaking seeds in the terrein-based solution or spraying it onto crops. This approach is particularly advantageous for regions facing drought and water scarcity, as it stimulates seedling development, increases both fresh and dry crop weights, and markedly improves yields while enhancing drought tolerance. Notably, soaking pakchoi seeds in a 10 μg/mL terrein solution resulted in a remarkable increase of 99.19% in root length, 15.66% in seedling height, and 40.34% and 49.12% boosts in fresh and dry weights, respectively.

Terrein is readily accessible, cost-effective, and highly soluble in water, facilitating the preparation of aqueous solutions or the integration with other pesticide formulations for soaking or spraying applications. This simplicity enhances its practicality, especially for agricultural practices in arid or water-scarce areas.

Prof. SHAO Hua has devoted her career to studying biological resource development and biological invasions, focusing on preventative measures and utilization strategies in arid environments. She has thoroughly examined the invasion mechanisms of various foreign plants from an allelopathic perspective, isolating and identifying over 30 compounds with potential applications in biological pesticide development, including xantholides. Furthermore, she has conducted comprehensive research on the chemical composition, herbicidal, insecticidal, and bacteriostatic properties of more than 20 volatile oils derived from plants native to Xinjiang. Her significant contributions to the field have resulted in 12 domestic patents.

US patent: biopesticide formulation and treatment method (Image by XIEG)

Contact

LONG Huaping

Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography

E-mail: longhp@ms.xjb.ac.cn

Web: http://english.egi.cas.cn