title: United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service research on natural products for pest management.
abstract: Recent research of the Agricultural Research Service of USDA on the use of natural products to manage pests is summarized. Studies of the use of both phytochemicals and diatomaceous earth to manage insect pests are discussed. Chemically characterized compounds, such as a saponin from pepper (Capsicum frutescens L), benzaldehyde, chitosan and 2-deoxy-D-glucose are being studied as natural fungicides. Resin glycosides for pathogen resistance in sweet potato and residues of semi-tropical leguminous plants for nematode control are also under investigation. Bioassay-guided isolation of compounds with potential use as herbicides or herbicide leads is underway at several locations. New natural phytotoxin molecular target sites (asparagine synthetase and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase) have been discovered. Weed control in sweet potato and rice by allelopathy is under investigation. Molecular approaches to enhance allelopathy in sorghum are also being undertaken. The genes for polyketide synthases involved in production of pesticidal polyketide compounds in fungi are found to provide clues for pesticide discovery. Gene expression profiles in response to fungicides and herbicides are being generated as tools to understand more fully the mode of action and to rapidly determine the molecular target site of new, natural fungicides and herbicides.
authors.affiliation: USDA, ARS, Natural Products Utilization Research Unit, PO Box 8048, University, MS 38677, USA. sduke@ars.usda.gov
authors.forename: Stephen O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Duke
authors.forename: Scott R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Baerson
authors.forename: Franck E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Dayan
authors.forename: Agnes M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rimando
authors.forename: Brian E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Scheffler
authors.forename: Mario R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Tellez
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Wedge
authors.forename: Kevin K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Schrader
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Akey
authors.forename: Frank H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Arthur
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: De Lucca
authors.forename: Donna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Howard F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Joseph K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Gealy
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tworkoski
authors.forename: Charles L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: J Brad
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Morris
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D001688:Biological Products / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007313:Insecta / Q000187:drug effects; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods*; D010944:Plants / Q000187:drug effects; D012107:Research Design; D014481:United States; D016885:United States Department of Agriculture
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products