Use of methylnicotinate in the control of lepidopteran pests

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of pest control technology, and discloses the application of methyl nicotinic acid in the control of lepidopteran pests, including inducing lepidopteran pests to refuse food and / or poisoning them. Methyl nicotinic acid is a plant secondary metabolite widely distributed in various organisms and can be chemically synthesized at a low cost. This invention provides an application of methyl nicotinic acid in the control of lepidopteran pests, which, as a novel method for controlling lepidopteran pests, can be used to establish a precise, efficient, and green integrated pest management system, achieving sustainable control of lepidopteran pests and thus avoiding huge economic losses to agricultural production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pest control, specifically to the application of methyl nicotinic acid in the control of lepidopteran pests. Background Technology

[0002] Lepidoptera, a diverse group within the class Insecta, includes numerous pests that pose a serious threat to agriculture and forestry. Almost all of their damage originates in the larval stage, where these larvae use their chewing mouthparts to cause diverse forms of damage to plants. They may directly feed on leaves, creating notches and holes, or even devour entire fields, as exemplified by the fall armyworm. Spodoptera frugiperda Lepidoptera pests include armyworms, which burrow into leaves, feeding on the leaf tissue and creating winding tunnels, such as various leaf miners. Many species have evolved to bore into the stems, fruits, and bolls of crops, causing the plants to wither, the fruits to rot, or the bolls to fall off. Notable examples include the rice stem borer, corn borer, and cotton bollworm. In vegetables, diamondback moths and cabbage caterpillars are major enemies of cruciferous crops; in fruit trees, fruit borers and others severely damage fruit quality. These lepidopteran pests are widely distributed and highly prolific, and their outbreaks often cause huge economic losses to agricultural production, making them key targets for integrated pest management and continuous monitoring. Traditional control methods relying on chemical pesticides create a vicious cycle of "increased pesticide resistance - damage to natural enemies - ecological imbalance," necessitating the establishment of a precise, efficient, and green integrated pest management system to achieve sustainable control of lepidopteran pests.

[0003] In the long-term co-evolution of plants and herbivorous insects, plants have developed a sophisticated chemical defense system, in which plant secondary metabolites play a central role. These substances are not essential for plant growth and development, but as important weapons against insect predation, they function primarily through toxicity and antifeedant effects. Plant-derived secondary metabolites are widely used in pest control due to their environmental friendliness; however, many plant-derived insecticidal secondary metabolites can only be obtained through plant extraction and cannot be synthesized on a large scale industrially, thus resulting in high costs. Furthermore, secondary metabolites with antifeedant or repellent effects are mainly used to control sanitary pests (CN202311670928.6), with limited research on their application to crop pests.

[0004] Methyl nicotinate, also known as methyl 3-pyridinecarboxylate, is primarily used as an intermediate in the synthesis of vitamin B3. Vitamin B3 (niacin or nicotinic acid) is an important nutrient that plays a vital role in maintaining healthy skin, promoting digestive function, and maintaining normal nervous system function. Methyl nicotinate is widely distributed in various organisms and can be chemically synthesized at a relatively low cost. Currently, methyl nicotinate is mainly used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, health product, food, industrial, and pesticide fields. In the pesticide field, it is mainly used as an attractant for thrips pests, but there are no reports of methyl nicotinate having any antifeedant or toxic effects on lepidopteran pests. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides an application of methyl nicotinate in the control of lepidopteran pests, addressing the problems of high cost and limited research on the use of plant-derived secondary metabolites in pest control in existing technologies.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides the use of methyl nicotinate in the control of lepidopteran pests or in the preparation of products for the control of lepidopteran pests, wherein the methyl nicotinate has the following structure: .

[0007] In one alternative implementation, the control of lepidopteran pests includes inducing lepidopteran pests to refuse to feed and / or poisoning lepidopteran pests.

[0008] In one alternative embodiment, the lepidopteran pests include at least one of the following: fall armyworm, armyworm, bollworm, beet armyworm, diamondback moth, tobacco budworm, corn borer, rice leaf roller, and peach fruit moth.

[0009] In one alternative embodiment, the lepidopteran pest includes at least one of the fall armyworm and the armyworm.

[0010] In one alternative implementation, lepidopteran pests are controlled by applying methyl nicotinic acid as an active ingredient to the pests, their habitats, and / or their food.

[0011] In one alternative implementation, the pest's habitat includes at least one of farmland, orchards, and storage environments.

[0012] In one alternative implementation, the farmland includes paddy fields, dryland crop fields, and vegetable fields.

[0013] In one alternative implementation, the orchard includes fruit trees and timber.

[0014] In one alternative embodiment, the pest's food includes at least one of plant leaves, stems, buds, fruits, plant roots, and stored goods.

[0015] In one alternative implementation, lepidopteran pests are controlled by applying methyl nicotinic acid as an active ingredient to the food of the pests.

[0016] In an alternative embodiment, when controlling lepidopteran pests by applying methyl nicotinic acid as an active ingredient to the pest's food, the amount of methyl nicotinic acid added to the pest's food is not less than 1 mg / g.

[0017] In one alternative implementation, methyl nicotinic acid is applied as an active ingredient to the food of pests to induce lepidopteran pests to refuse to eat.

[0018] In an alternative embodiment, when methyl nicotinic acid is used as an active ingredient to induce lepidopteran pests to refuse food, the amount of methyl nicotinic acid added to the pest's food is 1 to 10 mg / g.

[0019] In an alternative embodiment, when methyl nicotinic acid is applied as an active ingredient to the food of a pest to induce lepidopteran pests to refuse to eat, and the lepidopteran pest is the fall armyworm, the amount of methyl nicotinic acid added to the pest's food is 1 to 10 mg / g.

[0020] In an alternative embodiment, when methyl nicotinic acid is used as an active ingredient to induce lepidopteran pests to refuse food, and the lepidopteran pest is *Armoria laurentii*, the amount of methyl nicotinic acid added to the pest's food is 1-10 mg / g.

[0021] In one alternative implementation, methyl nicotinic acid is used as an active ingredient to poison lepidopteran pests by applying it to their food.

[0022] In an alternative embodiment, when poisoning lepidopteran pests by applying methyl nicotinic acid as an active ingredient to the pest's food, the amount of methyl nicotinic acid added to the pest's food is 1 to 10 mg / g.

[0023] In an alternative embodiment, when methyl nicotinic acid is used as an active ingredient to poison lepidopteran pests, and the lepidopteran pest is the fall armyworm, the amount of methyl nicotinic acid added to the pest's food is 2 to 8 mg / g.

[0024] In an alternative embodiment, when methyl nicotinic acid is used as an active ingredient to poison lepidopteran pests, and the lepidopteran pest is *Armoria laurentii*, the amount of methyl nicotinic acid added to the pest's food is 1-8 mg / g.

[0025] Secondly, the present invention also provides a product for controlling lepidopteran pests, wherein the active ingredient of the product includes methyl nicotinic acid.

[0026] In one alternative embodiment, the product includes at least one of insecticides, repellents, and feed additives.

[0027] In one alternative embodiment, the insecticide further includes an agriculturally acceptable carrier.

[0028] In one alternative embodiment, the insecticide further includes at least one of an agriculturally acceptable solvent, emulsifier, dispersant, and synergist.

[0029] In one optional embodiment, the insecticide is formulated as at least one of liquid, powder, soluble powder, emulsifiable concentrate, water-in-oil emulsion, microemulsion, suspension concentrate, granules, and bait.

[0030] Thirdly, the present invention also provides a method for controlling lepidopteran pests, the method comprising: applying methyl nicotinic acid as an active ingredient to the pests, the pests' habitats, and / or the pests' food to control lepidopteran pests.

[0031] In one alternative implementation, the control of lepidopteran pests includes inducing lepidopteran pests to refuse to feed and / or poisoning lepidopteran pests.

[0032] In one alternative embodiment, the lepidopteran pests include at least one of the following: fall armyworm, armyworm, bollworm, beet armyworm, diamondback moth, tobacco budworm, corn borer, rice leaf roller, and peach fruit moth.

[0033] In one alternative embodiment, the lepidopteran pest includes at least one of the fall armyworm and the armyworm.

[0034] In one alternative implementation, the pest's habitat includes at least one of farmland, orchards, and storage environments.

[0035] In one alternative implementation, the farmland includes paddy fields, dryland crop fields, and vegetable fields.

[0036] In one alternative implementation, the orchard includes fruit trees and timber.

[0037] In one alternative embodiment, the pest's food includes at least one of plant leaves, stems, buds, fruits, plant roots, and stored goods.

[0038] In one alternative embodiment, the method includes applying methyl nicotinic acid as an active ingredient to the food of pests to control lepidopteran pests.

[0039] In an alternative embodiment, when controlling lepidopteran pests by applying methyl nicotinic acid as an active ingredient to the pest's food, the amount of methyl nicotinic acid added to the pest's food is not less than 1 mg / g.

[0040] The technical solution of this invention has the following advantages: This invention provides the application of methyl nicotinic acid in the control of lepidopteran pests, which includes inducing feeding refusal and / or poisoning of lepidopteran pests. This invention screened methyl nicotinic acid by studying the content of secondary metabolites in the leaves of corn plants after lepidopteran pests have consumed them, and then explored its role in controlling lepidopteran pests. This invention found that methyl nicotinic acid can control pests by inducing feeding refusal and poisoning them. Methyl nicotinic acid is a plant secondary metabolite widely distributed in various organisms and can be chemically synthesized at a low cost. This invention provides the application of methyl nicotinic acid in the control of lepidopteran pests, which, as a new method for controlling lepidopteran pests, can be used to establish a precise, efficient, and green integrated pest management system, achieving sustainable management of lepidopteran pests and thus avoiding huge economic losses to agricultural production. Attached Figure Description

[0041] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0042] Figure 1 The relative content of methyl nicotinic acid in corn leaves (control) and leaves after they were fed on by fall armyworm; significant difference, ***p<0.001; Figure 2 Survival rate (a) and body weight (b) of fall armyworms fed on diets containing different secondary metabolites; significant differences, *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001; Figure 3 Survival rate (a) and body weight (b) of *Armoria ravens* fed diets containing different secondary metabolites; significant differences, *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001; Figure 4 Images show the selection of *Armoria luxuriae* for feed containing 1 mg / g methyl nicotinic acid and a control feed. Figure 5 The effect of feeds containing different concentrations of methyl nicotinic acid on the antifeeding behavior of fall armyworm; Figure 5 Among them, (a) 0.1 mg / g; (b) 1 mg / g; (c) 10 mg / g; significant difference, *p<0.05; Figure 6 The effect of feeds containing different concentrations of methyl nicotinic acid on the antifeeding activity of armyworms. Figure 6Among them, (a) 0.1 mg / g; (b) 1 mg / g; (c) 10 mg / g; significant difference, *p<0.05; Figure 7 The survival rate (a) and body weight (b) of fall armyworm after feeding on feed containing different concentrations of methyl nicotinic acid; significant differences, ***p<0.001; Figure 8 Survival rate (a) and body weight (b) of *Armoria ravens* after feeding on feed containing different concentrations of methyl nicotinic acid; statistically significant differences, *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The following embodiments are provided to better understand the present invention, but the following embodiments do not constitute a limitation on the content and scope of protection of the present invention. Any product that is the same as or similar to the present invention, derived by any person under the guidance of the present invention or by combining the features of the present invention with other prior art, falls within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0044] Unless otherwise specified, all experimental steps or conditions in the examples were performed according to conventional experimental procedures and conditions in the art. Reagents or instruments whose manufacturers are not specified are all commercially available products.

[0045] Standards: Protocatechuic acid (Catalog No. P815685, Purity: 97.0%), Chlorogenic acid (Catalog No. C805057, Purity: 98%), Vanillin acetate (Catalog No. V820392, Purity: 98%), Phlorizin (Catalog No. P816784, Purity: 98%), Epicatechin gallate (E837314, Purity: 98%), Methyl nicotinic acid (Catalog No. M814161, Purity: 99%), 2-Phenylethylamine (Catalog No. P822524, The following products were purchased from Shanghai Maclean Biochemical Technology Co., Ltd.: 99% purity, methoxyindoleacetic acid (Catalog No. M814337, purity: 99%), 2,4-dihydroxyquinoline (Catalog No. Q817117, purity: 97%), and 7-hydroxycoumarin (Catalog No. H811126, purity: 98%). Coixol (Catalog No. N0263, purity: 98%) and scopolamine (Catalog No. N0724, purity: 98%) were purchased from Sichuan Hengcheng Zhiyuan Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

[0046] Artificial feed: Self-prepared, the ingredients include 160g of rabbit pellets (Giandi growing rabbit compound feed, purchased from Taobao), 150g of wheat germ flakes, 10g of yeast, 700mL of distilled water, 20g of agar, 1g of sorbic acid, 3.8g of methylparaben, and 8g of vitamin C.

[0047] fall armyworm ( Spodoptera frugiperda, S. frugiperda The population originated from the Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences Plant Protection Institute after 20 generations of continuous rearing; *Armoria laurentii* (… Mythimna loreyi , M. loreyi The population originated from the Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences Plant Protection Institute after 20 generations of continuous rearing.

[0048] Experiment Example 1: Effects of different secondary metabolites on lepidopteran pests This experiment investigated the effects of different secondary metabolites on lepidopteran pests. The specific steps are as follows: 1. Metabolomics analysis In the early stages of this experiment, secondary metabolomics analysis was performed on normal maize leaves and leaves after they had been fed on by the fall armyworm. Then, differential metabolites with relatively high content, readily available standards, and significant accumulation in leaves fed on by the fall armyworm were selected from six primary categories: phenolic acids, flavonoids, lignans and coumarins, alkaloids, terpenes and others. These metabolites were protocatechuic acid, chlorogenic acid, vanillin acetate, phlorizin, epicatechin gallate, methyl nicotinate, 2-phenylethylamine, methoxyindoleacetic acid, 2,4-dihydroxyquinoline, 7-hydroxycoumarin, coixol, and scopolamine.

[0049] 2. Effects of different secondary metabolites on lepidopteran pests Purchase the standards for the secondary metabolites obtained from the screening above. Weigh 0.2 g of each candidate secondary metabolite standard and dissolve it in 1 mL of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to obtain standard solutions. Add the standard solutions to 39 g of artificial feed for fall armyworm or armyworm to prepare artificial feed containing 5 mg / g of candidate secondary metabolites. Use 1 mL of DMSO added to 39 g of artificial feed as a control. Cut all artificial feeds containing secondary metabolites and control feeds into strips of 1 cm × 1 cm × 2 cm and place them in 6 cm petri dishes. Place 10 two-day-old fall armyworm or armyworm larvae in each dish. Change the feed every 2 days. Five days after inoculation, count the survival rate of the larvae and weigh them. Each secondary metabolite experimental group was repeated 5 times.

[0050] 3. Experimental Results The results are as follows Figures 1-3 As shown. Figure 1 The results showed that, compared with the control corn leaves, the relative content of methyl nicotinic acid in the leaves fed by the fall armyworm was 10.5 times that of the control group, which was significantly increased. Figure 2 The results showed that feed containing methyl nicotinic acid or 7-hydroxycoumarin had a significant lethal effect on fall armyworm, while the survival rate of fall armyworm larvae fed on feed containing other secondary metabolites was not significantly different from that of the control group. Figure 2(a); It was also found that seven secondary metabolites—chlorogenic acid, phlorizin, epicatechin gallate, methyl nicotinate, 2-phenylethylamine, coixol, and 7-hydroxycoumarin—significantly inhibited the growth of fall armyworm. Figure 2 (b)

[0051] Figure 3 The results showed that feeds containing chlorogenic acid, methyl nicotinate, coixol, or 7-hydroxycoumarin had a significant lethal effect on *Armoria laurentii*, while the survival rate of *Armoria laurentii* larvae that fed on feeds containing other secondary metabolites was not significantly different from that of the control group. Figure 3 (a); It was also found that six secondary metabolites—chlorogenic acid, epicatechin gallate, methyl nicotinate, 2-phenylethylamine, coixol, and 7-hydroxycoumarin—significantly inhibited the growth of *Armylaceae laurentii*. Figure 3 (b)

[0052] This experiment investigated the effects of different secondary metabolites on lepidopteran pests and screened out methyl nicotinic acid as a secondary metabolite. Compared with other secondary metabolites, it can significantly inhibit the growth of fall armyworm and armyworm, and even has a lethal effect.

[0053] Example 1: The antifeedant effect of methyl nicotinate on lepidopteran pests This embodiment further investigates the antifeedant effect of methyl nicotinic acid on lepidopteran pests. The specific steps are as follows: 0.004 g, 0.04 g, and 0.4 g of methyl nicotinic acid were weighed and dissolved in 1 mL of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to obtain methyl nicotinic acid solutions. These solutions were added to 39 g of artificial feed containing *Fall Armyworm* or *Armillaria raphe* ​​to prepare artificial feeds with methyl nicotinic acid contents of 0.1 mg / g, 1 mg / g, and 10 mg / g. A control was prepared by adding 1 mL of DMSO to 39 g of the artificial feed. The control feed and the feed containing methyl nicotinic acid were placed on opposite sides of a 15 cm culture dish lined with moistened filter paper, with 10 two-day-old test larvae placed in the center. The percentage of larvae on each side was counted at 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, and 48 h after the larvae were introduced, analyzing the feeding tendency of the test larvae towards methyl nicotinic acid. The test insects were *Fall Armyworm* or *Armillaria raphe*, with six replicates for each insect, totaling 60 larvae.

[0054] The results are as follows Figures 4-6 As shown. Figure 4 The results showed that, compared with the diet containing methyl nicotinic acid, the armyworms of Raebrion preferred to feed on the control diet, moved around on the side containing the control diet and left a lot of feces, while there was less fecal residue on the side containing the methyl nicotinic acid diet.

[0055] Figure 5 The results showed that adding 0.1 mg / g ( ) to the feed Figure 5 When methyl nicotinic acid (a) was added to the feed, there was no significant difference in the feeding selection of fall armyworm larvae; the addition of 1 mg / g (a) to the feed... Figure 5 (b) or 10 mg / g ( Figure 5 When methyl nicotinic acid was used in the feed group (c), the proportion of fall armyworms consuming the feed was significantly reduced compared with the control feed group, indicating that methyl nicotinic acid had a good antifeeding effect on fall armyworms.

[0056] Figure 6 The results showed that adding 0.1 mg / g ( ) to the feed Figure 6 When methyl nicotinic acid (a) was added to the feed, there was no significant difference in the feeding selection of armyworm larvae; when 1 mg / g (a) was added to the feed, there was no significant difference in the feeding selection of armyworm larvae. Figure 6 (b) or 10 mg / g ( Figure 6 When methyl nicotinic acid was added to the feed (c), the feeding rate of *Armyctomium ravens* was significantly reduced compared with the control feed group, indicating that methyl nicotinic acid has a good antifeeding effect on *Armyctomium ravens*.

[0057] In summary, the addition of methyl nicotinic acid at a concentration of not less than 1 mg / g to feed has a deterrent effect on fall armyworm and armyworm.

[0058] Example 2: Toxicity of methyl nicotinate to lepidopteran pests This embodiment further investigates the toxic effects of methyl nicotinic acid on lepidopteran pests. The specific steps are as follows: Methyl nicotinic acid (MNA) solutions were prepared by dissolving 0.02 g, 0.04 g, 0.08 g, 0.16 g, 0.32 g, and 0.64 g of MNA in 1 mL of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). These MNA solutions were then added to 39 g of artificial feed containing either fall armyworm or armyworm to prepare feeds with MNA concentrations of 0.5 mg / g, 1 mg / g, 2 mg / g, 4 mg / g, and 8 mg / g. A control group was prepared by adding 1 mL of DMSO to 39 g of the artificial feed. Ten 2-day-old fall armyworm or armyworm larvae were fed to each group. Five days after inoculation, the larval survival rate and body weight were recorded. Each insect species was tested five times, for a total of 50 larvae.

[0059] The results are as follows Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown. Figure 7 As shown in Figure a, when the methyl nicotinic acid content in the feed is not less than 4 mg / g, the survival rate of fall armyworm gradually decreases with increasing concentration. When the added methyl nicotinic acid content is 4 mg / g, the survival rate of fall armyworm larvae is 62.0%; when the added methyl nicotinic acid content is 8 mg / g, the survival rate of fall armyworm larvae is 30.0%, meaning that adding not less than 4 mg / g of methyl nicotinic acid to the feed has a toxic effect on fall armyworm. Figure 7 As shown in Figure b, when the methyl nicotinic acid added to the feed was not less than 2 mg / g, the body weight of the fall armyworm gradually decreased with increasing concentration. When the added methyl nicotinic acid content was 8 mg / g, the body weight of the fall armyworm was only 47.9% of the control group, indicating that adding methyl nicotinic acid to the feed affects the growth of fall armyworm larvae and has a toxic effect on the fall armyworm. In conclusion, adding methyl nicotinic acid to the feed at a concentration of not less than 2 mg / g has a toxic effect on the fall armyworm, and at a concentration of not less than 4 mg / g, it has a toxic and killing effect.

[0060] like Figure 8 As shown in Figure a, when the methyl nicotinic acid content in the feed is not less than 1 mg / g, the survival rate of *Armoria laurentii* gradually decreases with increasing concentration. When the added methyl nicotinic acid content is 1 mg / g, the survival rate of *Armoria laurentii* larvae is 86.0%; when the added methyl nicotinic acid content is 8 mg / g, the survival rate of *Armoria laurentii* larvae is only 10.0%, meaning that adding not less than 1 mg / g of methyl nicotinic acid to the feed has a toxic effect on *Armoria laurentii*. Figure 8 As shown in Figure b, when the methyl nicotinic acid content in the feed was not less than 1 mg / g, the body weight of *Armoria laurentii* gradually decreased with increasing concentration. When the added methyl nicotinic acid content was 8 mg / g, the body weight of *Armoria laurentii* was 54.2% of the control group, indicating that adding methyl nicotinic acid to the feed affects the growth of *Armoria laurentii* larvae and has a toxic effect on the insect. In conclusion, adding methyl nicotinic acid to the feed at a concentration of not less than 1 mg / g has a toxic or even killing effect on *Armoria laurentii*.

[0061] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely illustrative examples for clear explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. Application of methyl nicotinic acid in the control of lepidopteran pests or in the preparation of products for the control of lepidopteran pests.

2. The application according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control of lepidopteran pests includes inducing lepidopteran pests to refuse to eat and / or poisoning lepidopteran pests.

3. The application according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The lepidopteran pests include at least one of the following: fall armyworm, armyworm, bollworm, beet armyworm, diamondback moth, tobacco budworm, corn borer, rice leaf roller, and peach fruit moth. Optionally, the lepidopteran pests include at least one of the fall armyworm and the armyworm.

4. The application according to claim 3, characterized in that, Control of lepidopteran pests by applying methyl nicotinic acid as an active ingredient to the pests, their habitats, and / or their food.

5. The application according to claim 4, characterized in that, Controlling lepidopteran pests by applying methyl nicotinate as an active ingredient to the food of pests. Optionally, when controlling lepidopteran pests by applying methyl nicotinic acid as an active ingredient to the pest's food, the amount of methyl nicotinic acid added to the pest's food is not less than 1 mg / g.

6. The application according to claim 5, characterized in that, By applying methyl nicotinate as the active ingredient to the food of pests, lepidopteran pests were induced to refuse to eat. Optionally, when inducing lepidopteran pests to refuse food by applying methyl nicotinic acid as an active ingredient to the pest's food, the amount of methyl nicotinic acid added to the pest's food is 1~10 mg / g. Optionally, when methyl nicotinic acid is used as an active ingredient to induce lepidopteran pests to refuse to eat, and the lepidopteran pest is fall armyworm, the amount of methyl nicotinic acid added to the pest's food is 1~10 mg / g. Optionally, when methyl nicotinic acid is used as an active ingredient to induce lepidopteran pests to refuse food, and the lepidopteran pest is *Armoria laurentii*, the amount of methyl nicotinic acid added to the pest's food is 1-10 mg / g.

7. The application according to claim 5, characterized in that, Poisoning lepidopteran pests by applying methyl nicotinic acid as an active ingredient to their food. Optionally, when poisoning lepidopteran pests by applying methyl nicotinic acid as an active ingredient to the pests' food, the amount of methyl nicotinic acid added to the pests' food is 1 to 10 mg / g. Optionally, when poisoning lepidopteran pests by applying methyl nicotinic acid as an active ingredient to the food of pests, and the lepidopteran pest is the fall armyworm, the amount of methyl nicotinic acid added to the pest's food is 2 to 8 mg / g. Optionally, when poisoning lepidopteran pests by applying methyl nicotinic acid as an active ingredient to the food of pests, and the lepidopteran pest is *Armoria laurentii*, the amount of methyl nicotinic acid added to the pest's food is 1-8 mg / g.

8. A product for controlling lepidopteran pests, characterized in that, The active ingredient in the product includes methyl nicotinic acid. Optionally, the product includes at least one of insecticides, repellents, and feed additives.

9. A method for controlling lepidopteran pests, characterized in that, The method includes: applying methyl nicotinic acid as an active ingredient to pests, their habitats, and / or their food to control lepidopteran pests. Optionally, the control of lepidopteran pests includes inducing lepidopteran pests to refuse to feed and / or poisoning lepidopteran pests. Optionally, the lepidopteran pests include at least one of the following: fall armyworm, armyworm, bollworm, beet armyworm, diamondback moth, tobacco budworm, corn borer, rice leaf roller, and peach fruit moth. Optionally, the lepidopteran pests include at least one of the fall armyworm and the armyworm.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The method includes: applying methyl nicotinic acid as an active ingredient to the food of pests to control lepidopteran pests. Optionally, when controlling lepidopteran pests by applying methyl nicotinic acid as an active ingredient to the pest's food, the amount of methyl nicotinic acid added to the pest's food is not less than 1 mg / g.

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