Development of BtBooster Synergist for Beetle-Active Bt

Coleopteran pests pose a significant threat to agriculture, ornamental plants, turf, and forestry. White grubs are the most cosmopolitan and damaging turfgrass pest of cool and warm season grasses in the U.S. White grubs feed on grass roots and are transported in sod and nursery plants. The older chemical pesticides, including organophosphates and carbamates, act as nerve toxins and kill many insects at any stage in their life cycle. These pesticides are highly toxic and are under examination and reregistration review by the U.S. EPA, and in most situations are not available for use. Increasing resistance development in Colorado potato beetle (CPB) against relatively new neonicotinoids that suppresses CPB populations has been reported. Thus, it is becoming critical to have environment-friendly effective control measures ready to manage white grubs and also manage CPB resistance. The synergistic combination of beetle-active Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) with BtBooster would increase the control efficacy of Bts for pest beetles leading to wider user acceptance of biological pesticide. InsectiGen, Inc. has developed biological technologies that control these insects. Our products may enhance the performance of the leading biocontrol strategies. Specifically, BtBooster will serve as an additive for current and future Bt products. BtBooster may reduce the amount of Bt needed to kill larvae or may extend the activity of Bt products, by prolonging pesticidal activity via enhancing the residual activity of Bt.