Monochamus alternatus adult micro-capsule slow-release synergistic trapping and killing preparation and prevention and control method

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of green prevention and control of forestry pests, and discloses a microcapsule slow-release synergistic trapping and killing preparation for adult monochamus alternatus and a prevention and control method. According to the preparation, the monochamus alternatus attractant and the 6% abamectin chlorobenzoyl microcapsule suspending agent are embedded in a polymer capsule wall material, and synchronous slow release of the monochamus alternatus attractant and the 6% abamectin chlorobenzoyl microcapsule According to the prevention and control method, an unmanned aerial vehicle or an airplane is adopted for precisely applying pesticide in a strip mode, and monochamus alternatus adults are efficiently prevented and controlled through a directional luring-concentrated gathering-targeted killing mechanism. The pesticide dosage is only 1 / 4 of that of conventional prevention and control, the comprehensive cost is remarkably reduced, the prevention and control effect is not statistically different from that of conventional agents, an ecological sensitive area can be flexibly avoided, high efficiency, economical efficiency and ecological friendliness are achieved, and a key technical scheme is provided for prevention and control of pine wood nematode disease vector insects.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of forest pest control technology, specifically to a microcapsule slow-release synergistic baiting agent and control method for adult pine sawyer beetle. Background Technology

[0002] Pine wilt disease is a major quarantine disease in my country's forestry sector, often referred to as "pine cancer." It has caused the death of nearly 600 million pine trees, and its affected area and epidemic zone continue to expand, causing devastating damage to forest ecosystems and the forestry economy. The pine sawyer beetle, as the main vector of pine wilt disease, carries the nematode during its feeding and oviposition processes, spreading it to healthy pine trees. This is a key link in the spread of the disease; therefore, precise control of adult pine sawyer beetles is the core means to block the transmission of pine wilt disease.

[0003] Currently, the main control technologies for adult pine sawyer beetles include chemical control, physical control, and biological control, but all of them have significant technical shortcomings: Bottlenecks in chemical control technology: Traditional chemical control often uses broad-spectrum pesticides applied throughout the entire area, which results in large pesticide dosages and poor target targeting. This not only leads to pesticide residues polluting the environment but also easily kills non-target organisms such as bees, posing ecological security risks. At the same time, long-term comprehensive application of pesticides can easily lead to pesticide resistance in pine sawyer beetles, and the control effect declines year by year.

[0004] Defects of combining attractants and pesticides: In existing technologies, some schemes attempt to simply mix attractants and pesticides, but due to the inconsistent release rates of the two and the easy interference between the active ingredients, the effect is short-lasting and the killing effect is unstable, making it impossible to achieve long-term control.

[0005] Issues related to prevention and control costs and labor intensity: The comprehensive application of pesticides requires coverage of the entire forest area. The combined prevention and control costs, including drone operations and manual labor, are high and labor-intensive, making it difficult to meet the needs of large-scale and wide-ranging epidemic prevention and control.

[0006] Insufficient ecological compatibility: The activity period of adult pine sawyer beetles (April-October) overlaps with the main honey-collecting period of bee colonies. Traditional comprehensive pesticide application methods cannot effectively avoid the active areas of pollinating insects, resulting in significant biosecurity risks. At the same time, comprehensive pesticide application is prone to disturbing the forest ecosystem and is not conducive to ecological restoration.

[0007] To address the aforementioned technical challenges, the industry urgently needs to develop a control technology that is highly efficient, economical, and eco-friendly. Through precise targeted design, this technology can achieve multiple objectives, including reducing pesticide use while increasing efficiency, lowering control costs, and keeping ecological risks under control, thus providing a new technical approach for the control of adult pine sawyer beetles. Summary of the Invention

[0008] (a) Purpose of the invention The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies and provide a microencapsulated slow-release synergistic attractant and control method for adult pine sawyer beetles. By utilizing polymer microencapsulation technology to achieve synergistic slow release of the attractant and pesticide, combined with a strip-based precision application mode, a chain-like control system of targeted attraction-concentrated aggregation-targeted killing is constructed. This solves the technical bottlenecks of traditional control methods, such as large pesticide usage, poor target specificity, short duration of effect, high ecological risk, and high cost, achieving efficient, green, and large-scale control of adult pine sawyer beetles.

[0009] (II) Technical Solution 1. Microencapsulated slow-release synergistic baiting agent for adult pine sawyer beetle: The trapping agent of this invention is designed based on the concept of synergistic prevention and control. Its core consists of an active ingredient and a polymer encapsulation material. The specific technical features are as follows: The active ingredient system consists of a compound system of pine sawyer beetle attractant and 6% abamectin-chlorobenzoyl microcapsule suspension. The pine sawyer beetle attractant is a sex pheromone or aggregation pheromone with strong directional attractant activity; the 6% abamectin-chlorobenzoyl microcapsule suspension, as a highly effective and low-toxicity pesticide, has both contact and stomach poison effects, showing significant killing effect on adult pine sawyer beetles. The two are compounded at a mass ratio of 1:5-1:20. This ratio maximizes the synergistic effect of attractant and killing activities, avoiding interference between the active ingredients.

[0010] Polymer encapsulation technology: This technology uses biodegradable polymer encapsulation materials to encapsulate the active ingredients, forming a microencapsulated sustained-release structure. This structure enables the synchronous and slow release of attractants and pesticide active ingredients, precisely matching the release cycle of the attractant with the efficacy cycle of the pesticide, ensuring the long-lasting and stable effectiveness of the trapping and killing effect. Simultaneously, the biodegradable polymer encapsulation material slowly degrades in the natural environment, leaving no residual pollution and enhancing the eco-friendliness of the formulation.

[0011] Application parameters of the formulation: The recommended application rate of the formulation is 50-80 grams per acre. When applying the formulation, dilute it according to the ratio. The amount of pesticide solution for drone application is 5L per acre, and the amount of pesticide solution for aerial application is 500g per acre, to ensure the formation of an effective concentration of the trapping system in the strip area.

[0012] 2. Synergistic control method of adult pine sawyer beetle microcapsule slow-release: The control method of the present invention is based on the above-mentioned baiting agents, combined with precision application technology and time-series control strategies to form a complete control system. The specific steps are as follows: S1: Precise determination of the application window: Generation window: The first application of pesticide should be initiated at the beginning of the peak emergence period of adult pine sawyer beetles. This period coincides with the peak emergence of pioneer beetles, and killing them can significantly reduce the initial insect population density and block the early spread of the disease. In most parts of China, the first application time is from late April to early May. In southern forest areas (such as South China and Southwest China), due to the warmer climate and earlier emergence period, the application time can be adjusted to mid-April. In northern forest areas (such as Northeast China and North China), due to the colder climate and later emergence period, the application time can be adjusted to early to mid-May.

[0013] Intraday window: Choose a clear, windless or light-windy evening (within 2 hours before or after sunset) for application. During this period, adult pine sawyer beetles are active, and non-target pollinating insects such as bees have stopped their activities, which can significantly reduce the potential impact on non-target organisms.

[0014] S2: Strip-style precision pesticide application: Application equipment: Multi-rotor drones or fixed-wing aircraft are used as application equipment, which have the advantages of high operation efficiency and good uniformity of application, and are suitable for the needs of large-scale forest area prevention and control.

[0015] Strip deployment parameters: Spread pesticide strips at 50m intervals, with a standard spray width of 8-10m to form a continuous trapping network; for small pine wilt disease plots (e.g., less than 100 mu), the spray width can be adjusted to 4-5m to optimize pesticide dosage and operational efficiency.

[0016] Application standards: 300-500 ml of pesticide solution per meter of a single strip, with a total pesticide solution volume of 15-25 liters per strip. The standard is to completely wet the surface vegetation or soil with the pesticide solution and form a uniform and continuous strip, ensuring that the attractant and pesticide form an effective concentration gradient in the strip area.

[0017] Ecological avoidance principle: When laying out pesticide strips, avoid key protected areas such as nature reserves, ecologically sensitive areas, and drinking water source protection areas to minimize disturbance to the ecological environment.

[0018] S3: Periodic supplemental drug administration strategy: Replenishment cycle: A replenishment application should be carried out every 30 days after the initial application. This cycle matches the sustained-release cycle of the microcapsule formulation, which can promptly replenish the pesticide loss caused by rainwater erosion and natural degradation, and ensure the continuity of the control effect.

[0019] Supplementary application method: The supplementary application adopts the precision supplementary application mode, which only applies supplementary application to areas in the strip where the application is uneven, the rain washes away the effect, or the concentration decreases. The supplementary application amount is 1 / 3 of the initial application, and there is no need to re-spray the entire strip, further reducing the amount of pesticide used and the cost of control.

[0020] Total number of applications: Within one generation of adult pine sawyer beetle (usually from May to September), apply the pesticide 2-3 times to fully cover the adult activity period and achieve full-cycle control.

[0021] S4: Evaluation of Prevention and Control Effectiveness and Emergency Adjustment Effectiveness evaluation: 24 hours and 72 hours after the first application and before each supplementary application, the number of dead insects and the number of insects attracted in the strip area were checked using the quadrat survey method to evaluate the control effect and ensure that the insect population density was controlled below the threshold.

[0022] Emergency adjustments: In the event of an exceptionally heavy rainstorm (24-hour rainfall exceeding 50mm), check the pesticide residue in the strip area within 24 hours after the rain. Reapply pesticides to areas with severe pesticide loss in advance to avoid gaps in control. If the survey finds that the insect population density does not meet the standard, the interval between reapplying pesticides can be appropriately shortened to 25 days to enhance the control intensity.

[0023] 3. Core prevention and control mechanism: The prevention and control mechanism of this invention is a chain reaction of targeted attraction, concentrated aggregation, and targeted elimination: 1. Targeted attraction: The attractant released by the microcapsule preparation creates a directional odor gradient in the forest area, guiding adult pine sawyer beetles from the surrounding area to fly directionally towards the treated strip area; 2. Concentration and aggregation: Adult insects are attracted by attractants and gather in the strip area to feed or stay, forming a high-density insect population aggregation area; 3. Targeted killing: The adult insects that gather together are precisely killed by 6% abamectin-chlorobenzoyl microcapsule suspension after coming into contact with or feeding on the agent in the strip area, achieving the goal of integrated trapping and killing.

[0024] (III) Beneficial Effects Compared with existing technologies, the baiting agent and control method of the present invention have significant technical advantages and practical value, as detailed below: 1. High control efficiency and stable effect: The experimental results show that the control effect of the preparation and control method of the present invention on the adult pine sawyer beetle is not statistically different from that of conventional control agents. The number of insects trapped in the blank control group is significantly higher than that in the experimental group and the control agent group. Through the chain mechanism of attraction-aggregation-destruction, the insect population density can be rapidly reduced, the transmission route of pine wilt disease can be blocked, and the control effect is long-lasting and stable.

[0025] 2. Significantly reduced pesticide use and eco-friendly: The strip-style precision application mode reduces pesticide usage per unit area to only 1 / 4 of that of conventional full-area application, greatly reducing pesticide use and pesticide residue pollution; the application of biodegradable polymer capsules avoids capsule residues, and the precise selection of the application window and the principle of ecological avoidance reduce the impact on non-target organisms, significantly improving the ecological compatibility of the control technology.

[0026] 3. Reduced prevention and control costs and less labor intensity: The strip application mode reduces the application area and amount of pesticides, and the large-scale operation of drones / aircraft reduces labor input, resulting in a significant reduction in overall prevention and control costs compared to the traditional mode; the precise supplementary application design further optimizes resource allocation, greatly reduces labor intensity, and is suitable for the prevention and control needs of large-scale epidemic areas.

[0027] 4. Long duration of action and strong adaptability: Microencapsulation sustained-release technology enables the formulation to have a duration of action of more than 30 days, reducing the frequency of application; the control method can be flexibly adjusted according to the climate conditions, plot size and ecological sensitivity of different forest areas, adapting to the control needs of different epidemic areas in the north and south of my country.

[0028] 5. Convenient operation and easy to promote: The formulation is a standardized compound system, which does not require complicated on-site mixing; the application process can be carried out on a large scale by drones or airplanes. The operation process is simple and can be implemented without professional technical training, which makes it easy to promote and apply in grassroots forestry departments. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 Comparison of the number of *Pseudolarix amabilis* captured in different treatment groups in Xixia area; Figure 2 Comparison of the number of *Pseudolarix amabilis* trapped in different treatment groups in Lushi area; Figure 3 A diagram comparing the work areas of strip application and conventional full-area application.

[0030] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: Figure 1 , 2 In this study, CK was the blank control group, XD / LD was the conventional control drug group, and XS / LS was the experimental group of this invention. Figure 3 In the diagram, A represents the strip application area, B represents the conventional full application area, and C represents the ecologically sensitive area. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. For those skilled in the art, any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made to the present invention without departing from the principles and design ideas of the present invention should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] Example 1: Preparation of a microcapsule sustained-release synergistic bait for adult pine sawyer beetle: The baiting agent in this embodiment is prepared according to the following steps: Step 1: Select the aggregation pheromone of the pine sawyer beetle as the attractant, and mix it with 6% abamectin-chlorobenzoyl microcapsule suspension at a mass ratio of 1:10 (this ratio is the optimal value for synergistic effect of compounding); in other embodiments, the compounding ratio can be flexibly adjusted according to the insect population density and climate conditions in the forest area. As long as the ratio is within the range of 1:5-1:20, the synergistic effect of attracting and killing can be achieved. Step 2: Select biodegradable polylactic acid-glycolic acid copolymer (PLGA) as the polymeric encapsulation material, dissolve it in an organic solvent to form an encapsulation material solution; Step 3: Slowly add the mixture of active ingredients to the encapsulation material solution, and emulsify it through high-speed shearing to form an emulsion, controlling the microcapsule particle size to be 5-20 μm; Step 4: Remove organic solvents by solvent evaporation to solidify and embed the active ingredients in the polymer capsule. After centrifugation, washing, and drying, obtain the microcapsule slow-release synergistic baiting agent for adult pine sawyer beetle. Step 5: Formulation testing: The microcapsule encapsulation rate of the formulation was tested to be 85%, and the release cycle of the inducer was 30-40 days, which precisely matched the efficacy cycle (30 days) of 6% abamectin-chlorobenzoyl microcapsule suspension, meeting the requirements for prevention and control.

[0033] Example 2: Implementation of the synergistic control method of microencapsulated slow-release of adult pine sawyer beetle: This embodiment was implemented in the pine wilt disease epidemic areas of Xixia and Lushi counties in Henan Province. The specific steps are as follows: S1: Determination of the application window: The first application of pesticides was launched in late April of the experimental year in Xixia area (the peak period of adult emergence of the pine sawyer beetle), and the first application of pesticides was launched in early May of the experimental year in Lushi area; both were carried out within 1.5 hours before and after sunset (18:00-19:30), when there is no wind, the temperature is suitable, and the pine sawyer beetle is active.

[0034] S2: Strip-type precision pesticide application: Multi-rotor drones are used as pesticide application equipment. Pesticide strips are laid out at 50m intervals. In the Xixia area, the strip spray width is 8m. In the Lushi area, the small plot area is smaller, so the strip spray width is adjusted to 5m. 400 ml of pesticide solution is used per meter of a single strip, and the total amount of pesticide solution for a single strip is 20 liters. The pesticide solution evenly wets the surface vegetation to form continuous strips.

[0035] S3: Periodic supplementary application: On the 30th day after the first application, supplementary application was carried out on the two test areas. Only the strip areas that were severely washed away by rain and unevenly applied were supplemented. The amount of supplementary application was 1 / 3 of the amount of the first application. A total of 3 applications were carried out during the entire generation of adult insects (May-September).

[0036] S4: Ecological avoidance measures: When setting up the pesticide application strips, avoid the buffer zone of the nature reserve and the ecologically sensitive area within 100m of both sides of the stream in the test area to reduce environmental disturbance.

[0037] S5: Efficacy Evaluation: At 24 and 72 hours after the initial application, five quadrats were set up in each treatment group to investigate the number of dead insects; before each supplementary application, the number of insects attracted to the treated area was investigated. Results showed ( Figure 1 , Figure 2 The number of traps in the blank control group was significantly higher than that in the experimental group and the conventional control drug group; there was no significant difference in the number of traps between the experimental group and the conventional control drug group, and the control effect was similar, indicating that the control effect of the present invention is comparable to that of conventional drugs.

[0038] Example 3: Verification and Comparative Analysis of Prevention and Control Effects: This embodiment verifies the control effect through comparative experiments. A blank control group (CK), a conventional control agent group (general application of conventional abamectin-type pesticides), and the experimental group of this invention (strip application of microcapsule slow-release synergistic attractant formulation) were set up. Each group had three replicate plots, with each plot covering 100 mu (approximately 6.7 hectares). The experimental results are as follows: Insect population reduction rate: The insect population reduction rate in the experimental group was 89.6%-92.3%, and the insect population reduction rate in the conventional control group was 90.1%-93.5%. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05), but both were significantly higher than the blank control group (insect population reduction rate <10%). Pesticide dosage: The pesticide dosage per unit area in the experimental group was 1 / 4 that in the conventional control group, showing a significant reduction in pesticide dosage. Prevention and control costs: The overall prevention and control costs of the experimental group (including drugs, drone operations, and labor) were 35%-40% lower than those of the conventional control drug group, demonstrating a significant cost advantage; Ecological impact: No non-target organism deaths were observed in the experimental group, while a small number of bee deaths were detected in the conventional control group within 72 hours after application, indicating that the ecological risk of this invention is lower.

[0039] Example 4: Emergency Adjustment and Optimization Application: This embodiment optimizes and adjusts the prevention and control methods for special weather conditions and different forest area conditions: 1. Emergency Adjustment for Heavy Rain: Ten days after the first application of pesticide in Xixia area, a severe rainstorm hit. Within 24 hours after the rain, it was found that the pesticide strips had been severely lost. Replenishment was carried out in a timely manner, with the amount of pesticide used for replenishment being 1 / 3 of the amount used for the first application, to ensure that the control effect was not significantly affected. 2. Adaptation to Southern Forest Areas: When implemented in the Shaoguan forest area of ​​Guangdong (southern epidemic area), the first application time was adjusted to mid-April of the trial year, the spray width was maintained at 8m, the interval between supplementary applications was 30 days, and a total of 2 applications were made. The insect population reduction rate reached 91.7%, which is suitable for the emergence rhythm of southern forest areas. 3. Adaptation to ecologically sensitive areas: When implemented in the pine wilt disease epidemic area of ​​Huangshan, Anhui, the strip spray width was adjusted to 4m to avoid the core sensitive areas, taking into account the concentration of ecologically sensitive areas. The insect population reduction rate reached 88.9%, achieving a balance between prevention and control effect and ecological protection.

[0040] The microencapsulated sustained-release synergistic trapping agent and control method of this invention have solved many technical bottlenecks of traditional control through technological innovation. They are highly efficient, economical and eco-friendly, and can be widely used in the control of adult pine sawyer beetles in pine wilt disease epidemic areas in my country, providing important technical support for forest ecosystem protection and sustainable forestry development.

[0041] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A microcapsule-based sustained-release synergistic baiting agent for adult pine sawyer beetles, characterized in that: It is composed of an active ingredient and a polymeric encapsulation material. The active ingredient is a compound system of pine beetle attractant and 6% abamectin-chlorobenzoyl microcapsule suspension. The polymeric encapsulation material encapsulates the active ingredient to achieve simultaneous slow release of the attractant and the active pesticide ingredient.

2. The microcapsule slow-release synergistic baiting agent for adult *Spodoptera litura* as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The mass ratio of the attractant to 6% abamectin-chlorobenzoyl microcapsule suspension is 1:5-1:

20.

3. The microcapsule slow-release synergistic baiting agent for adult *Spodoptera litura* as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The dosage of the formulation is 50-80 grams per mu. It should be diluted according to the ratio when applying the pesticide. The dosage of pesticide solution for drone application is 5L per mu, and the dosage of pesticide solution for aircraft application is 500g per mu.

4. The microcapsule slow-release synergistic baiting agent for adult *Spodoptera litura* as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The polymer capsule material is a biodegradable material that can slowly degrade in the natural environment without leaving any residual pollution.

5. A method for the synergistic control of adult pine sawyer beetles using microcapsules and slow-release technology, characterized in that: The method based on the baiting agent according to any one of claims 1-4 includes the following core steps: S1: Determining the application window: The first application should be initiated during the peak emergence period of adult pine sawyer beetles, which is from late April to early May in most parts of China, earlier in southern forest areas and later in northern forest areas; the application time during the day should be within 2 hours before or after sunset on a clear, windless or light-windy day; S2: Strip-type precision application: Use multi-rotor drones or fixed-wing aircraft as application equipment, and lay out application strips at 50m intervals. The standard spray width is 8-10m. For small pine wilt disease patches with small areas, the spray width is adjusted to 4-5m. Use 300-500 ml of pesticide solution per meter of a single strip, with a total pesticide solution volume of 15-25 liters per strip. The standard is to completely wet the surface vegetation or soil surface with pesticide solution to form uniform strips. S3: Periodic supplementary application: After the first application, a supplementary application should be carried out every 30 days. Only apply the supplementary application to the strip areas where the application was uneven or where the application was washed away by rain. The amount of supplementary application should be 1 / 3 of the amount of the first application. A total of 2-3 applications should be carried out within one generation of adult insects (May-September). S4: Evaluation of control effectiveness and emergency adjustment: 24 hours and 72 hours after application and before each supplementary application, the control effectiveness is evaluated by investigating the number of dead insects in the strip area; in the event of severe rainstorms, timely inspection and supplementary application are carried out after the rain.

6. The method for synergistic control of adult *Pinus sylvestris* using microcapsule slow-release technology according to claim 5, characterized in that: In step S2, the application strips are laid out to avoid key protected areas such as nature reserves and ecologically sensitive areas, so as to reduce environmental disturbance.

7. The method for synergistic control of adult pine sawyer beetles via microcapsule slow-release according to claim 5, characterized in that: The attractant for the longhorn beetle in the baiting agent is a sex pheromone or aggregation pheromone. After being encapsulated in a polymer capsule, its release cycle matches the efficacy cycle of the 6% abamectin-chlorobenzoyl microcapsule suspension, thus achieving synergistic control.

8. The method for synergistic control of adult pine sawyer beetles via microcapsule slow-release according to claim 5, characterized in that: The band-like precision application of pesticides in step S2 creates a trapping zone that guides adult pine sawyer beetles to gather in the banded area through the directional action of the attractant, and then achieves precise contact killing through 6% abamectin-chlorobenzoyl microcapsule suspension.

9. The method for synergistic control of adult *Pinus sylvestris* using microcapsule slow-release technology according to claim 5, characterized in that: The supplementary application in step S3 is only applied to the core area of ​​the strip and does not need to cover the entire strip width, further reducing the amount of pesticide used and the cost of prevention and control.

10. The method for synergistic control of adult *Pinus sylvestris* using microcapsule slow-release technology according to claim 5, characterized in that: Control the flight altitude and speed of the spraying equipment during application to ensure that the pesticide solution evenly covers the strip area.

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