Method for controlling hematophagous or sap-feeding arthropods
AssigneeBoard of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
InventorsDaniel R. Swale, Lane D. Foil
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Modulation of inward potassium ion conductance with structurally diverse small-molecules in the arthropod salivary gland induces arthropod salivary gland failure that results in a reduction or elimination in the ability of the arthropod to feed. Administering Kir channel inhibitors reduces food intake, increases feeding time, reduces salivary gland secretion, induces mortality, and reduces transmission of vector-borne pathogens. Kir channel inhibitors induce these adverse effects in ticks, mosquitoes, horn flies, and aphids.
Claims12
A method for inducing an outcome in an arthropod;
- wherein said arthropod is an aphid;
- said method comprising:
- administering to the arthropod an effective amount of an agent comprising one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of pinacidil, VUO41, VU063, and VU730;
- wherein the outcome comprises one or more outcomes selected from the group consisting of:
- (i) reducing or destroying salivary gland secretions;
- (ii) reducing or destroying feeding or digestion;
- (iii) reducing or destroying the ability to osmoregulate;
- (iv) reducing or destroying the ability to transmit pathogens;
- and (v) death of the arthropod;
- wherein an effective amount of the agent is an amount that will induce the outcome, within 12 hours, in at least 90% of individual arthropods of the same species that have not acquired resistance to the agent;
- wherein the agent is in water-soluble form or the agent is in aqueous suspension;
- and
- wherein said administering step comprises spraying an aqueous solution or aqueous suspension of the agent onto a plant.
A method for inducing an outcome in an arthropod;
- wherein said arthropod is an insect or an arachnid;
- and wherein said arthropod is:
- (i) hematophagous, or (ii) sap-feeding, or (iii) both;
- said method comprising:
- administering to the arthropod an effective amount of an exogenous agent;
- wherein the agent blocks one or more potassium transport pathways in the arthropod's salivary glands;
- provided the agent is not VU625;
- wherein the outcome comprises one or more outcomes selected from the group consisting of:
- (i) reducing or destroying salivary gland secretions;
- (ii) reducing or destroying feeding or digestion;
- (iii) reducing or destroying the ability to osmoregulate;
- (iv) reducing or destroying the ability to transmit pathogens;
- and (v) death of the arthropod;
- wherein an effective amount of the agent is an amount that will induce the outcome, within 12 hours, in at least 90% of individual arthropods of the same species that have not acquired resistance to the agent;
- and
- wherein the agent is selected from the group consisting of Kir channel modulators, K2P channel modulators, KATP channel modulators, and KCC channel modulators.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.