Cypress timber extract for organic pest control
Agri-Science Queensland developed a safe, organic and environmentally friendly way of controlling insects.
Key features:
- excellent control of a range of insect pests
- predicted to slow insect resistance
- fewer harmful effects on beneficial insects
- re-use of waste products.
Licence fees/royalties:
- The technology is now in the public domain and available for commercialisation without any payment, provided the ownership of DAF is sufficiently acknowledged in all printed or electronic material.
Technology owner:
- State of Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
Industry area:
- Forestry, horticulture, organic pest management strategies.
Market opportunities
Most modern agricultural and veterinary insecticides are synthetic compounds, and often insects will eventually build immunity to the active ingredients. DAF researchers predict that a natural mix of bioactive compounds found in white cypress heartwood will slow down insects´ ability to develop resistance.
The organic pest control is effective for:
- termites
- cattle ticks
- fruit-spotting bugs
- two-spotted mites
- thrips
- silverleaf whiteflies
- banana scab moths.
This ingenious method for treating pests uses cypress sawdust, a waste product generated at construction sites. DAF´s research team has also observed that organic cypress pest control technology has fewer harmful effects on beneficial insects than synthetic methods.
Intellectual property
The cypress organic pest control technology is now in the public domain free for use by any interested party subject to sufficient attribution.