Scientists have fused two peptides to create a pesticide that protects legume crops from Asian soybean rust. One peptide kills the fungus behind the disease, and the other acts as a sticker to bind the system to leaves.
Scientists have fused two peptides to create a pesticide that protects legume crops from Asian soybean rust. One peptide kills the fungus behind the disease, and the other acts as a sticker to bind the system to leaves.
Asian soybean rust has been known to damage as much as 80% of a seasons crop. To safeguard against this and other plant pests, farmers rely on pesticides to protect their produce. However, rain can easily wash most pesticides off the surface of plants, meaning farmers need to apply each pesticide multiple times during the growing season. Many pesticides are also toxic to humans and wildlife, so scientists are eager to come up with safer alternatives.
Now, a team of researchers, led by Uwe Conrath and Ulrich Schwaneberg from RWTH Aachen University in Germany, has designed a rainproof pesticide. Basically we merged two natural peptides. One ties the other to the plant surface. The other fights the rust fungus before it can penetrate the host plant, explains Conrath.
See full article at Agropages
