STTR Phase I: Termite-derived enzymatic tree bio-herbicides

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is a novel tree bio-herbicide to prevent sprouting of stumps and girdled trees. If successful, it would replace synthetic chemical herbicides currently used to stop stump sprouting, cull unwanted trees, prevent disease, and control invasive species in national parks and forests, managed timberlands, and along roads, railroads, pipelines, power lines, and other rights-of-way. In a termite biomimicry approach, the enzymatic mode-of-action mimics the digestive mechanisms of termites to degrade woody tissues into their natural breakdown products. This project will enhance the scientific understanding of termite digestion and apply this understanding toward developing a commercial biological alternative to the synthetic chemicals used today. The technical objectives in this Phase I research project are to characterize termite digestive enzyme activity responses to feeding on different wood species, to develop a heterologous production microbe capable of large scale production of the most promising termite lignocellulases, to determine their synergistic effects in combinations with commercial lignocellulases, and to demonstrate the ability of these blends to degrade solid wood and prevent cambium healing. This project advances termite digestomics and seeks to commercialize research previously funded in-part by the NSF.