SPLATverb, a Drop-In Technology to Manage the Mountain Pine Beetle

The mountain pine beetle (MPB), Dendroctonus ponderosae, is one of the most destructive pests of North American forests as it attacks large lodgepole pine trees. During outbreak years, beetles mass attack these trees causing irreversible damage that leads to the death of the tree, usually within one year of a successful attack. Large acreages of pristine forests are turned into fire hazards as previously healthy trees decay and dry out. Insecticide applications have remain ineffective at protecting trees, since the process requires thorough insecticide spray along the entire base of the tree. Pine beetle repellents have shown promise but do not achieve satisfactory level of pine beetle control. Innovation in the management tools against the pine beetle are thus tremendously needed. Using ISCA Technologies & #39; proven semiochemical delivery system, SPLAT & reg; (Specialized Pheromone and Lure Application Technology), this research project will optimize SPLATverb a mountain pine beetle repellent which has demonstrated effective tree protection, surpassing current pine beetle repellents on the market. Optimizing SPLATverb application metrics for protection of single trees and area wide protection and optimizing mechanical and aerial spray equipment so that SPLATverb can be applied to larger areas faster as opposed to manual applications currently seen with insecticide treatments and pine beetle repellents. This Phase II USDA SBIR project will further optimize SPLATverb in order to make its operational use easier and more efficient. The successful optimization of SPLATverb to manage MPB will create opportunities for expansion into management of other important bark beetle species that also respond to verbenone as their primary anti-aggregation pheromone (e.g., Dendroctonus brevicomis, the western pine beetle and Dendroctonus frontalis, the southern pine beetle), thus increasing the economic and societal benefits of this project.