SBIR Phase I: Enhancing the Bactericidal Activity of Copper: An Economically Viable Solution for Lowering Copper Usage Rates in Agriculture

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project describes a cost-effective method for reducing the quantities of copper used for agricultural crop protection. Currently, millions of pounds of copper are being sprayed onto plants each year. This copper is released into the environment, resulting in contamination of soil and waterways and deleterious effects on the ecosystem. Furthermore, pathogens are becoming resistant to copper pesticides, necessitating even higher rates of copper usage. The scope of the proposed project is to optimize the structure of Agile Sciences? library of small, non-toxic organic compounds, to provide an economically viable solution for reducing the amount of copper released into the environment. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project includes both environmental and economic considerations. Bacterial pathogens are becoming increasingly resistant to copper, but farmers currently have few economically feasible alternatives. Agile?s compounds enhance the efficacy of copper treatments, so that the amount of copper released into the environment is substantially reduced.