Agreement Number
NR233A750011G023
Awardee Name
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII SYSTEMS
Grant Type
Classic
Project Title
Integrating insecticidal baits-biocontrol agents as a novel and sustainable invasive ant management tool
Awardee State/Territory
Hawaii
Involved States/territories
Hawaii
Award Year
2022
Start Date
End Date
Award Amount
$453,640.00
Production/Use
Farmland Agricultural
Resource Concern (Broad)
Habitat
Resource Concern (Specific)
Invasive species
Conservation Practice(s)
Pest Management Conservation System
Upland Wildlife Habitat Management
Project Background
This project will develop an innovative method to manage invasive ants that form mutualistic relationships with crop pests. By integrating biocontrol (positive sense single-stranded RNA virus, +ssRNA), chemical control (liquid boric acid bait), and a revolutionizing delivery system (biodegradable alginate hydrogel), we produce a novel and sustainable ant management tool targeting bigheaded ants in agriculture, as the efficacy of boric acid hydrogel baits and the horizontal transfer of the virus identified among the ant colonies have been demonstrated in preliminary trials.
Project Scale
Field-level
Project targeted to Historically Underserved producers?
No
Awardee Technical Contact Name
Jia-Wei Tay