Repellent composition and use

Abstract

The present invention relates to the use of at least one fatty acid, preferably volatile and odoriferous, selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid, and / or their derivatives, as a repellent active ingredient and / or for controlling the reproduction of flies, and to the use, in particular of a plant hygiene composition, of at least one fatty acid, preferably volatile and odoriferous, and non-insecticidal, selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid, and / or their derivatives, as a repellent active ingredient and / or for controlling the reproduction of flies, preferably by olfaction. The present invention can be used in the agricultural, veterinary, and plant hygiene fields.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the use of at least one fatty acid selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid and / or their derivatives as a repellent active ingredient and / or for controlling the reproduction of Diptera.

[0002] The present invention also relates to the use of at least one fatty acid, in particular a volatile fatty acid, selected from the group comprising propionic acid and butyric acid as a repellent active ingredient and / or for controlling the reproduction of flies.

[0003] The present invention also relates to the use of a composition, in particular a phytosanitary composition, comprising at least one fatty acid selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid and / or derivatives thereof as a repellent active ingredient and / or for controlling the reproduction of Diptera.

[0004] The present invention also relates to the use of a composition, in particular a phytosanitary composition, comprising at least one fatty acid, in particular a volatile fatty acid, selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid and / or their derivatives, as a repellent active ingredient and / or for controlling the reproduction of Diptera.

[0005] The invention can be used especially in the agricultural, veterinary and plant health fields. [Background technology]

[0006] In the agricultural sector, a large number of insects are considered pests. These are in particular insects which cause and / or are a source of damage and / or decay of crops.

[0007] All agricultural crops, such as cereal, fruit, or vegetable crops, can be affected by pests. In a general manner, pests are specific to one type of crop and / or plant and can affect the crop and / or plant differently. In other words, it is often the case that pests are specific to one crop / plant and their effects on the crop / plant are specific.

[0008] For example, pests may have an effect on the fruit of the plant, e.g., by feeding on it, and / or may affect the "health" of the plant by carrying pathogens, e.g., viruses, fungi, etc., which may impair plant / crop growth and / or fruit / flower production, etc.

[0009] All parts of the plant / crop can be affected by pests. For example, pests can damage leaves, stems, shoots, bark, wood, roots, flowers, fruits, seeds, at all stages of their development. Furthermore, pests can also affect the produce / fruit and / or any other elements obtained from the harvest.

[0010] Therefore, there is a real need in the prior art to protect and / or prevent pests from attacking and / or spoiling plants / crops. However, there is also a real need to protect and / or prevent pests from attacking and / or spoiling crops without endangering ecosystems and biodiversity. There is also an urgent need to find alternatives to pesticides that destroy insect species in an uncontrolled manner.

[0011] Methods and / or products are known and used to protect plants / crops against pests. For example, rotation from one year to the next and / or agricultural plots of cultivated plants and / or selection of specific plants are used to reduce the impact of pests. However, the protection and / or impact is limited. Furthermore, selection of resistant plants may lead to genetic impoverishment of native plants and / or a decrease in biodiversity.

[0012] Mechanical methods are also used. Chemical methods are also used, in particular the use of synthetic and / or chemical pesticides and insecticides, such as repellent compositions. However, these methods have a "non-selective" effect, targeting all insects indiscriminately and thus may have a detrimental effect on auxiliary and / or essential insects, such as honeybees and / or bumblebees. Furthermore, chemical methods are currently controversial, especially because they may affect human and / or animal health and / or cause soil pollution, waterway pollution, etc. Furthermore, the insecticides used may be absorbed by the plant. Thus, the plants and / or crops produced may have concentrations of these compositions that are incompatible with animal and / or human consumption.

[0013] There is therefore a real need to find new means and / or new compositions that overcome these failures, disadvantages and obstacles of the prior art, in particular methods and / or compositions that make it possible to protect plants and / or crops from pests while preserving and / or protecting ecosystems, biodiversity and / or human health and / or animal health. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0014] [Non-Patent Document 1] International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) Dictionary, Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) [Non-Patent Document 2] Remington Pharmaceutical Sciences, sixteenth edition, EW Martin, Mack Publishing Co., Easton, Pa., 1980 [Non-Patent Document 3] Grosjean,Y.,Grillet,M.,Augustin,H.,Ferveur,JFand Featherstone,DEA glial amino-acid transporter controls synapse strength and courtship in Drosophila

Outdoor Tools 4

Direct Environment 5

Outdoor Configuration 6

Direct Environment 7

[0015] In particular, the present invention aims to meet these needs and overcome these drawbacks by providing at least one fatty acid selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid and / or derivatives thereof, for use as a repellent active ingredient and / or for controlling the reproduction of Diptera.

[0016] The inventors have surprisingly shown that the non-insecticidal compositions, i.e. the volatile fatty acids according to the invention, have an advantageous repellent effect with respect to flies.

[0017] Indeed, the inventors have surprisingly and unexpectedly shown that the present invention, and in particular the use of volatile fatty acids according to the present invention, has a repellent effect with respect to flies, advantageously via olfactory recognition, in particular via adult olfactory recognition.

[0018] The inventors have also surprisingly and unexpectedly shown that the present invention, and in particular the use of volatile fatty acids according to the present invention, has an effect on the behaviour of flies, in particular that associated with their reproduction.

[0019] Furthermore, the inventors have surprisingly and unexpectedly demonstrated for the first time that the use according to the invention, and in particular the use of fatty acids according to the invention, has an effect on the behavior of pests, in particular due to olfactory recognition of said molecules.

[0020] Furthermore, the inventors have surprisingly and unexpectedly demonstrated for the first time that the use according to the invention, in particular the use of volatile fatty acids according to the invention, has an effect on the behavior of pests, preferably adult pests, in particular by olfactory recognition of said molecules, without affecting the mortality rate of the pests.In other words, the inventors have shown that the present invention does not have an insecticidal effect on pests.

[0021] In particular, the inventors have surprisingly shown that the use of fatty acids according to the invention has a repellent effect, making it possible to reduce or even eliminate insect courtship and can result in anesthesia of the insects.

[0022] The inventors have advantageously demonstrated that the use according to the invention, and in particular the use of volatile fatty acids according to the invention, can provide reversible anesthesia in flies and advantageously, in contrast to known insecticides, can be non-toxic with respect to flies. In other words, the inventors have demonstrated that the invention can advantageously provide reversible anesthesia, which corresponds to a temporary anesthesia, without any toxicity in adult flies.

[0023] The inventors have also surprisingly shown that the present invention advantageously makes it possible to reduce and / or prevent the proliferation of pests, for example by reducing courtship.

[0024] The inventors have also shown that the invention advantageously makes it possible to reduce and / or prevent the spread of pests without affecting the protected crop's role in its external ecosystem.

[0025] The inventors have also surprisingly shown that the present invention advantageously makes it possible to reduce and / or prevent the reproduction and / or mating of pests.

[0026] Furthermore, the present inventors have surprisingly found that the present invention is effective against pests through olfactory recognition. The inventors have surprisingly shown that the present invention advantageously enables the detection of attractive olfactory signals by pests, for example between males and females, to be altered, which may, for example, initiate and / or stimulate courtship prior to mating in insects. In other words, the inventors have surprisingly shown that the present invention advantageously enables the detection of attractive olfactory signals by pests, for example between males and females.

[0027] In particular, the inventors have surprisingly shown that the present invention makes it possible, by olfactory recognition, to advantageously reduce and / or inhibit the courtship and mating behaviour of pest insects, e.g. prior to their selective egg-laying on plants and / or crops (e.g. their offspring eating these insects without killing them, thus protecting their importance to the external ecosystem, in particular the plants and / or crops to be protected).

[0028] Furthermore, the present invention uses fatty acids and / or derivatives thereof that are environmentally non-toxic, eco-friendly and compounds and / or molecules with no known adverse effects on human and animal health.

[0029] The present invention relates to the use of at least one fatty acid selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid and / or their derivatives as a repellent active ingredient and / or for controlling the reproduction of Diptera.

[0030] The present invention also relates to the use of at least one advantageously volatile fatty acid selected from the group comprising propionic acid and butyric acid as a repellent active ingredient and / or for controlling the reproduction of flies.

[0031] The present invention also relates to the use of at least two fatty acids selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid and / or their derivatives as repellent active ingredients and / or for controlling the reproduction of flies.

[0032] The present invention also relates to the use of propionic and butyric acids, advantageously as volatile repellent active ingredients and / or for controlling the reproduction of flies.

[0033] As used herein, the term "derivative" refers to a compound or molecule produced from a parent compound by one or more chemical reactions.

[0034] In the present invention, the term "salt" means a salt that is suitable for human or veterinary medical use without toxicity, irritation, allergic reactions, or other adverse effects that make it unsuitable for medical use, and that has a reasonable balance of benefits and risks.

[0035] In the present invention, the term "salt" also means a salt that is suitable for phytosanitary uses without toxicity, irritation, allergic reactions or other adverse effects that make it unsuitable for use, for example, in agriculture.

[0036] In this document, the term "repellent" means to keep and / or repel flies away from plants and / or vegetables and / or fruits, and / or all or part of plants and / or vegetables and / or mammals. The term "repellent" also means to inhibit attraction of flies to plants and / or vegetables and / or fruits, and / or all or part of plants and / or vegetables and / or mammals. The term "repellent" also means lack of interest of flies to the environment and / or space in which one or more volatile odor molecules are present.

[0037] In this document, the term "control of reproduction" refers to the inhibition and / or stabilization of reproduction of flies, in particular by inhibition and / or reduction of courtship and / or inhibition of flight in swarms and / or inhibition of males providing prey to females and / or inhibition of males producing cocoons. In other words, "control of reproduction" refers to the reduction and / or inhibition of courtship and / or mating, preferably an adult behavior of flies, before they lay eggs, preferably selectively, in particular before they lay eggs, for example on plants and / or vegetables that the offspring, for example larvae, preferably eat.

[0038] In this document, the suborder Diptera refers to insects belonging to the families Muscidae, Ophididae, Hippogidae, Spider flies, Syrphidae, Tachinidae, Phoridae, and Thermitoxena. Preferably, the suborder Diptera refers to insects belonging to the families Muscidae, Ophididae, Spider flies, Syrphidae, Tachinidae, Phoridae, and Thermitoxena. For example, they may be insects selected from the group comprising insects of the genera Musca, Drosophila, Tsetse, Blowfly, Auchmeromyia, Calliphora, Fleshfly, and Stomach; preferably, they may be insects selected from the group comprising insects of the genera Drosophila, Tsetse, Blowfly, Auchmeromyia, Calliphora, Fleshfly, and Stomach. They may be insects belonging to the genus Drosophila, for example, selected from the group comprising Drosophila suzukii, Drosophila melanogaster, and Drosophila melanogaster, preferably Drosophila suzukii.

[0039] In this document, when insects are of the genus Musca, they can be any insect of the genus Musca except Musca domestica.

[0040] In this document, the suborder Diptera also includes insects belonging to the family Tephritidae, also called fruit flies. These may be, for example, insects selected from the group including insects of the Tephritidae species. These may be, for example, insects selected from the group including the olive fruit fly.

[0041] In this document, the Flies may be selected from insects belonging to the families Ophididae, Hippocampidae, Spider flies, Syrphidae, Tachinidae, Phoridae, Thermitoxena, and / or Tephritidae.

[0042] In this document, the suborder Drosophila may be selected from the group comprising Drosophila suzukii and Drosophila oleracea.

[0043] In this document, "propionic acid", also known as propanoic acid, refers to a volatile C3 fatty acid of empirical formula CHO and / or semistructural formula (I) as follows:

[0044] [ka]

[0045] Advantageously, propionic acid is the volatile fatty acid.

[0046] Advantageously, according to the invention, the propionic acid is odorous.

[0047] In this document, odorous compound means a compound that gives off an odor.

[0048] In this document, a derivative of propionic acid means any derivative and / or salt known to a person skilled in the art, which may be, for example, a derivative selected from the group comprising propionic acid esters, propionic acid amines, and / or mixtures thereof.

[0049] According to the present invention, the propionate ester can be any propionate ester known to those skilled in the art. It can be, for example, an ester of formula CH3-CH2-COOR1 (III), where R1 is C1 to C6 alkyl, such as methyl, ethyl, butyl, propyl, pentyl, hexyl, R 11 is an anion and R 12 R is a cation selected from the group of alkali metals including lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium. 11 R 12 For example, the propionate ester may be selected from the group comprising ethyl propionate, propyl propionate, butyl propionate, isoamyl propionate, isobutyl propionate, and / or isopropyl propionate. The propionate ester is preferably ethyl propionate.

[0050] In accordance with the present invention, the amine propionate can be any amine propionate known to those skilled in the art. For example, the propionate can be selected from the group including propylamine, dipropylamine, tripropylamine, isopropylamine, diisopropylamine, triisopropylamine.

[0051] Advantageously, when the ester is a derivative of propionic acid, preferably ethyl propionate or ethyl butyrate, it exhibits a more pleasant odor to humans than the acid.

[0052] According to the invention, the propionic acid and / or its derivatives may be at a concentration between 0.1 and 30% by volume (v / v). According to the invention, the concentration of the propionic acid and / or its derivatives may be adjusted depending on the dipteran order. For example, the propionic acid and / or its derivatives may be at a concentration between 0.5% by volume and 1% by volume, 1% by volume and 2% by volume, or 2% by volume and 30% by volume (v / v). According to the invention, the concentration of the propanoic acid may be 0.5%, 1% by volume, 2% by volume, 3% by volume, 4% by volume, 5% by volume, 6% by volume, 7% by volume, 8% by volume, 9% by volume, 10% by volume, 15% by volume, 20% by volume, 30% by volume, 40% by volume, 50% by volume, 60% by volume, 70% by volume, 80% by volume, 90% by volume, 10% by volume, 15% by volume, 10% by volume, 10% by volume, 20% by volume, 30% by volume, 40% by volume, 50% by volume, 60% by volume, 70% by volume, 80% by volume, 90% by volume, 10% by volume, 10% by volume, 10% by volume, 10% by volume, 10% by volume, 20% by volume, 20% by volume, 30% by volume, 40% by volume, 50% by volume, 50% by volume, 60% by volume, 70% by volume, 80% by volume, 90% by volume, 10% by volume, 10% by volume, 10% by volume, 10% by volume, 10% by volume, 20% by volume, 20% by volume The concentration of the propionic acid derivative may be equal to 2%, 4%, 5% by volume (v / v). According to the invention, the concentration of the propionic acid derivative may be between 2% and 30% by volume (v / v). For example, the concentration of ethyl propionate may be 10% by volume (v / v).

[0053] In this document, "butyric acid", also known as butanoic acid, refers to a volatile C4 fatty acid of empirical formula C4H8O2 and / or semistructural formula (II) as follows:

[0054] [ka]

[0055] Advantageously, butyric acid is the volatile fatty acid.

[0056] Advantageously, according to the invention, the butyric acid is odorous.

[0057] In this document, a derivative of butyric acid means any derivative and / or salt known to a person skilled in the art. It may for example be a derivative selected from the group comprising butyric acid esters and / or salts thereof.

[0058] According to the present invention, the butyric acid ester can be any butyric acid ester known to those skilled in the art. It can be, for example, an ester of formula CH3-(CH2)2-COOR2 (III), where R2 is C1 to C6 alkyl, such as methyl, ethyl, butyl, propyl, pentyl, hexyl, R 11 is an anion and R 12 R is a cation selected from the group of alkali metals including lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium. 11 R 12 For example, the butyrate ester may be selected from the group including ethyl butyrate, propyl butyrate, butyl butyrate, isoamyl butyrate, isobutyl butyrate, and / or isopropyl butyrate.

[0059] Advantageously, when it is a butyric acid ester, preferably ethyl butyrate, it has a pleasant odor to humans (pineapple).

[0060] According to the invention, butyric acid and / or its derivatives may be at a concentration between 0.1 and 3% by volume (v / v).

[0061] According to the invention, the concentration of butyric acid and / or its derivatives may be adjusted depending on the dipteran suborder. For example, butyric acid and / or its derivatives may be at a concentration between 0.5% and 3% by volume (v / v). According to the invention, the concentration of butyric acid may be equal to 0.5%, 1%, 2% by volume (v / v). According to the invention, the concentration of butyric acid derivatives may advantageously be equal to 2% by volume (v / v). According to the invention, the concentration of butyric acid derivatives may ... For example, if the derivative is ethyl butyrate, the concentration may be greater than or equal to 2% by volume (v / v).

[0062] According to the present invention, when propionic acid and / or its derivatives, and butyric acid and / or its derivatives are used as active ingredients, the concentration of propionic acid and / or derivatives may be between 0.1% and 0.5% by volume (v / v), and the concentration of butyric acid and / or derivatives may be between 0.1% and 0.5% by volume (v / v).

[0063] The present invention also relates to a composition comprising at least one fatty acid selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid, and / or derivatives thereof, and an acceptable carrier.

[0064] The present invention also relates to a composition comprising at least one advantageously volatile fatty acid selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid and / or derivatives thereof, and an acceptable carrier.

[0065] The present invention also relates to a composition comprising at least one advantageously volatile fatty acid selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid, and an acceptable carrier.

[0066] The present invention also relates to a composition comprising propionic acid and butyric acid and an acceptable carrier.

[0067] The present invention also relates to a composition comprising propionic acid and butyric acid.

[0068] The present invention also relates to the use of a composition comprising at least one fatty acid selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid and / or derivatives thereof, and an acceptable carrier, as a repellent and / or to control the proliferation of flies.

[0069] The present invention also relates to the use of a composition comprising at least one advantageously volatile fatty acid selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid and / or derivatives thereof, and an acceptable carrier, as a repellent and / or to control the reproduction of flies.

[0070] The present invention also relates to the use of a composition comprising propionic acid, butyric acid, and an acceptable carrier as a repellent and / or to control the proliferation of flies.

[0071] The present invention also relates to the use of a composition comprising propionic acid and butyric acid as a repellent and / or to control the proliferation of flies.

[0072] According to the present invention, the carrier can be any carrier known to those skilled in the art and suitable for mixing and / or associating with the fatty acid in the composition. It can be, for example, an oil, such as a mineral oil, a vegetable oil, and / or a mixture thereof. It can be, for example, any mineral oil known to those skilled in the art and suitable for use in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and / or phytosanitary fields. It can be, for example, a mineral oil selected from the group comprising paraffin oil or petrolatum. The mineral oil is preferably paraffin oil. Advantageously, paraffin oil has no significant effect on the suborder Diptera. Moreover, paraffin oil advantageously allows a constant release of the fatty acid and / or derivative with which it is mixed.

[0073] Advantageously, when the carrier is paraffin oil, it makes it possible to keep the fatty acids in the composition in non-ionic form (COOH).

[0074] According to the invention, the vegetable oil may be any vegetable oil known to a person skilled in the art and suitable for use in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and / or phytosanitary fields.

[0075] According to the invention, the composition may be a cosmetic or dermatological composition, a pharmaceutical composition and / or a phytosanitary composition.

[0076] In this document, "cosmetic composition" means any form of cosmetic composition known to those skilled in the art. The cosmetic composition according to the present invention may contain one or more adjuvants and / or cosmetically acceptable carriers known to those skilled in the art. Unless the adjuvant and / or cosmetically acceptable carrier proves to be incompatible with the compound according to the present invention, for example produces any kind of undesirable biological effect and / or has odor and / or effect that can mask the odor of the compound according to the present invention, or actually interacts in a harmful manner with any other component of the cosmetic composition, its use is considered to be within the scope of the present invention. It may be, for example, one or more adjuvants selected from agents of the ester type, hydrating agents, softeners, emulsifiers, surfactants, mineral thickeners, organic thickeners, associative or other water- and fat-soluble organic solar filters, mineral solar filters, silicon compounds, fragrances, preservatives, ceramides and pseudoceramides, vitamins and provitamins, proteins, sequestrants, alkalizing agents, acidifying agents, reducing agents, oxidizing agents, mineral fillers, colorants, or any other suitable adjuvant that may be cited in non-patent document 1.

[0077] According to the present invention, the cosmetic or dermatological composition can be in any form known to those skilled in the art, for example, that can be used in the cosmetic field.Unless the formulation of the cosmetic or dermatological composition is incompatible with the compound according to the present invention, for example, produces any kind of undesirable biological effect and / or odor and / or effect that can mask the odor of the compound according to the present invention, or interacts in a harmful manner with any other component of the cosmetic composition, its use is considered to be within the scope of the present invention.From the general knowledge of the skilled person, he will be able to adapt the formulation depending on the intended application.

[0078] In this document, the cosmetic composition may be obtained by any suitable method known to a person skilled in the art for preparing a cosmetic composition. It may be a mixture of surface-active material in water.

[0079] In this document, "pharmaceutical composition" refers to any suitable pharmaceutical composition in any form known to those skilled in the art. In this document, the pharmaceutical composition can be, for example, a topical solution, a galenic oral dispersion form, and / or an air-dispersed solution, such as a liquid solution, or a spray.

[0080] According to the present invention, the pharmaceutical composition may be, for example, a pharmaceutical composition for topical or transdermal administration, selected from the group including ointments, creams, gels, lotions, patches, and mousses.Unless the formulation of the pharmaceutical composition may be incompatible with the compound according to the present invention, for example, producing any kind of undesirable biological effect and / or odor and / or effect that may mask the odor of the compound according to the present invention, or interacting in a harmful manner with any other component of the pharmaceutical composition, its use is considered to be within the scope of the present invention.From the general knowledge of the skilled person, the skilled person will be able to adapt the formulation depending on the intended application.

[0081] In this document, the composition may be formulated and / or adapted according to its administration. The composition of the invention may also comprise at least one other active ingredient, in particular another therapeutic active ingredient, for example for simultaneous or separate use or for use spread over time, according to the galenic formulation used.

[0082] As described above, the pharma- ceutically acceptable compositions of the present invention can be administered in a pharma- ceutically acceptable carrier. The pharmaceutical composition may further include a liquid carrier, adjuvant, or excipient, which includes any solvent, diluent or other liquid excipient, dispersing or suspending aid, surface active agent, isotonicity agent, thickening or emulsifying agent, preservative, solid binder, lubricant, etc., suitable for the particular dosage form desired, as defined in this document. Non-patent document 2 describes different carriers used in the formulation of pharma- ceutical acceptable compositions, and known techniques for their preparation. Except where a conventional carrier medium proves to be incompatible with the compounds according to the invention, for example, produces any kind of undesirable biological effect and / or has an odor that may be able to mask the odor of the compounds according to the invention, or actually interacts in a deleterious manner with any other component of the pharma- ceutical acceptable composition, its use is considered to be within the scope of the present invention. Some examples of materials which may serve as pharma- ceutically acceptable carriers include, but are not limited to, ion exchangers, buffer substances, water, salts or waxes, electrolytes, sugars; starches, excipients, oils, glycols, esters, and other compatible non-toxic lubricants, as well as colorants, release agents, coating agents, sweeteners, flavorings, preservatives, and antioxidants may also be present in the composition according to the judgment of the galenic expert.

[0083] During its use according to the invention, the fatty acid selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid and / or derivatives thereof and / or the composition comprising at least one fatty acid selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid and / or derivatives thereof may be applied by any suitable means known to the person skilled in the art, for example it may be application by means of a duster, a spray, an atomizer, an impregnated carrier.

[0084] According to the present invention, the application means can be adjusted depending on the composition used. From the general knowledge of the skilled artisan, the skilled artisan will be able to adjust the application means to the form of the composition used.

[0085] The present invention also relates to a method for protecting at least one biotic and / or abiotic surface against Diptera, comprising the application onto said surface of at least one fatty acid selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid and / or derivatives thereof, or of a composition comprising at least one fatty acid selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid and / or derivatives thereof.

[0086] The present invention also relates to an ex vivo method for protecting at least one biotic and / or abiotic surface against Diptera, comprising the application to said surface of at least one fatty acid selected from the group comprising propionic acid, butyric acid or a composition comprising propionic acid and / or butyric acid.

[0087] The present invention also relates to the ex vivo use of propionic acid and butyric acid and / or a composition comprising propionic acid and butyric acid for protecting at least one biotic and / or abiotic surface against Diptera.

[0088] Propionic acid and / or its derivatives are as defined above.

[0089] Butyric acid and / or its derivatives are as defined above.

[0090] The composition is as defined above.

[0091] By protection of surfaces, this document means in particular the absence of egg-laying on surfaces, due to the reduction and / or inhibition of courtship and / or mating of flies, behaviour that precedes egg-laying by flies, and / or the inhibition of attraction and / or disinterest of flies towards surfaces, present in the environment and / or space in which one or more volatile odor molecules are present.

[0092] In this document, surface means any surface known to the person skilled in the art. It can be, for example, a biological or non-biological surface.

[0093] In this document, biological surface means any biological surface known to those skilled in the art. It may be, for example, a biological surface selected from the group including skin, mucous membranes, hair, skin appendages, eyes, feathers.

[0094] In this document, a biological surface may be a healthy surface and / or a surface exhibiting at least one lesion and / or infection, which may include, for example, a wound, an infected wound, a scarring wound, a sutured wound, a scar, a burn.

[0095] In this document, a biological surface may be the surface of all or part of a vegetable and / or plant. It may be, for example, the surface of a leaf, fruit, flower, petal, pistil, stem, branch, trunk. Preferably, it may be the surface of a fruit.

[0096] In this document, non-living surface means any non-living surface known to the person skilled in the art. It can also be any device surface known to the person skilled in the art. It can be, for example, any surface present in medical equipment surfaces, medical emergency rooms, medical treatment rooms, operating rooms, operating blocks, intensive care units (ITU) rooms, infectious disease unit rooms. It can also be any surface of laboratories, biological laboratories, biological analysis laboratories, culture rooms, and other enclosed volumes. It can be, for example, a surface of a building, for example for residential, storage, and / or agricultural purposes. It can be, for example, a surface of a roof, a wall, a window, a gutter.

[0097] In this document, the non-biological surface can be formed by any material known to those skilled in the art. It can be, for example, a biocompatible material. In this document, the non-biological surface can be, for example, a metal surface, a surface formed by an alloy, or a polymer surface. For example, the metal can be any metal known to those skilled in the art, for example, a metal selected from the group including titanium, copper, iron, aluminum, nickel, tungsten, silver, gold, palladium, vanadium, and molybdenum. For example, the alloy can be any alloy known to those skilled in the art, for example, an alloy selected from the group including steel, brass, copper-nickel, copper-palladium, silver-gold, silver-palladium, molybdenum-vanadium, and molybdenum-tungsten. For example, the polymer can be any polymer known to those skilled in the art that can form and / or cover a surface. It can be, for example, a polymer selected from the group including polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polysiloxane, polyurethane, and functionalized polymer.

[0098] According to the present invention, the application may be carried out by any means known to those skilled in the art. For example, application may be carried out using a duster, a sprayer, a pressurized duster. From the general knowledge of the skilled person, the skilled person will be able to adapt and / or select the application means depending on the surface.

[0099] Advantageously, when the fatty acids according to the invention and / or the compositions according to the invention are applied to an abiotic surface, they make it possible to prevent the appearance of flies close to said surface, in particular by displacing and / or distancing the flies from said surface.

[0100] The present invention also relates to a kit or case comprising a composition comprising at least one fatty acid selected from propionic acid and / or its derivatives, butyric acid and / or its derivatives, and / or at least one fatty acid selected from propionic acid and / or its derivatives, butyric acid and / or its derivatives, and a carrier comprising instructions for use.

[0101] Propionic acid and / or its derivatives are as defined above.

[0102] Butyric acid and / or its derivatives are as defined above.

[0103] The composition is as defined above.

[0104] In this document and in the examples below, the concentrations of propionic acid and / or butyric acid and / or their derivatives are expressed as a percentage with respect to the total volume (v / v) of the composition, i.e. by volume of propionic acid and / or butyric acid and / or their derivatives, unless stated otherwise.

[0105] Those skilled in the art will also be able to ascertain further advantages upon reading the following embodiments, illustrated by the accompanying drawings, given by way of example. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0106] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a bar chart showing measurements of the percentage of courtship of male Drosophila suzukii to females (Y-axis) in the absence or presence of compositions containing 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1% propionic acid (X-axis). In the figure, (*), (**), (***), and (****) indicate varying amounts of propionic acid and display statistical differences between the different conditions, calculated by performing a Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's post hoc multiple comparison test. [Diagram 2] Figure 2 is a bar chart showing the percentage of courtship measures (Y-axis) of male Drosophila suzukii towards females in the absence or presence of compositions containing 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1% butyric acid (X-axis). In the figure, (*), (**), (***), and (****) indicate varying amounts of butyric acid and display statistical differences between the different conditions, calculated by performing a Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's post hoc multiple comparison test. [Diagram 3]Figure 3 is a bar chart showing the percentage of courtship measurements (Y-axis) of male Drosophila suzukii towards females in the absence or presence of compositions containing 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1% propionic acid or 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1% butyric acid or mixtures corresponding to 0.1%, 0.25%, or 0.5% propionic and butyric acid (X-axis), respectively. In the figure, (*) denotes statistical differences between different conditions, showing varying amounts of fatty acids. The statistical test performed is the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's post hoc multiple comparison test. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a bar chart showing measurements (Y-axis) of the percentage of mating of Drosophila suzukii in the absence or presence of compositions containing 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1% propionic acid (X-axis), respectively. In the figure, (*) denotes statistical differences between different conditions, showing varying amounts of propionic acid. The statistical test performed is the Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by Dunn's post hoc multiple comparison test. [Diagram 5] Figure 5 is a bar chart showing measurements (Y-axis) of the percentage of mating of Drosophila suzukii in the absence or presence of compositions containing 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1% butyric acid (X-axis), respectively. In the figure, (*) denotes statistical differences between different conditions, showing varying amounts of butyric acid. The statistical test performed is the Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by Dunn's post hoc multiple comparison test. [Figure 6] 6 is a bar chart showing the time (minutes and seconds) (Y-axis) leading to anesthesia of male or female Drosophila suzukii (X-axis) in the presence of a composition containing 2% propionic acid. A Mann-Whitney (non-parametric t-test) revealed no differences associated with the time leading to anesthesia of the flies depending on the sex of the flies. [Figure 7]7 is a bar chart showing the time (minutes and seconds) (Y-axis) leading to anesthesia of male or female Drosophila suzukii (X-axis) in the presence of a composition containing 2% butyric acid. A Mann-Whitney (non-parametric t-test) revealed no differences associated with the time leading to anesthesia of flies depending on the sex of the fly. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a photograph showing a portion of the inside of a 1250 cm3 transparent test box, in which 2% propionic acid has been deposited in a Petri dish covered with gauze (outside the scope of the image shown). The black dots on the figure correspond to Drosophila suzukii. The arrow indicates that Drosophila suzukii is flying on its back in the anesthetized position. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a photograph showing a portion of the inside of a 1250 cm3 transparent test box, in which 2% butyric acid has been deposited in a Petri dish covered with gauze (outside the scope of the image shown). The black dots on the figure correspond to Drosophila suzukii. The arrow indicates that Drosophila suzukii is flying on its back in the anesthetized position. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a bar chart showing measurements of the percentage of courtship in Drosophila melanogaster (Y-axis) in the absence or presence of compositions containing 0.5% and 1% propionic acid (X-axis), respectively. In the figure, (*) indicates the varying amount of propionic acid and displays the statistical differences between the different conditions, calculated by performing a Mann-Whitney test (a non-parametric test). [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a bar chart showing measurements (Y-axis) of courtship rates (percentage) of Drosophila melanogaster in the absence or presence of compositions containing 0.5% and 1% butyric acid (X-axis), respectively. In the figure, (***) indicates the varying amount of butyric acid and displays the statistical differences between the different conditions, calculated by performing a Mann-Whitney test (non-parametric test). [Figure 12]Figure 12 is a bar chart showing the time (minutes and seconds) (Y-axis) leading to anesthesia of male or female Drosophila melanogaster (X-axis) in the presence of a composition containing 2% propionic acid. In the figure, (****) indicates the varying amount of propionic acid and displays the statistical difference between the different conditions, calculated by performing a Mann-Whitney test (non-parametric test). [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a bar chart showing the time (minutes and seconds) (Y-axis) leading to anesthesia of male or female Drosophila melanogaster (X-axis) in the presence of a composition containing 2% butyric acid. In the figure, (***) indicates the varying amount of propionic acid and displays the statistical differences between the different conditions, calculated by performing a Mann-Whitney test (non-parametric test). [Figure 14A] Figure 14A corresponds to a photograph (in its entirety in Figure 14A) of the test box used to test the repellent and / or remote-anesthetizing behavior of Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila suzukii. In this transparent box, with a volume of 1250 cm3, two Petri dishes are placed. One is covered with gauze containing 2%, 6% or 20% propionic acid (visible on the right side of the image showing the entire test box), the other contains a synthetic food (visible on the left side of the image). The black dots on the figure correspond to Drosophila melanogaster. [Figure 14B] 14B corresponds to a photograph (partial view from below) of the test box used to test the repellent and / or remote anesthetic behavior of Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila suzukii. The black dots on the figure correspond to Drosophila melanogaster. [Figure 14C] 14C corresponds to a photograph (partial view from below) of the test box used to test the repellent and / or remote anesthetic behavior of Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila suzukii. The black dots on the figure correspond to Drosophila melanogaster. [Figure 15]Figure 15 shows one of the six cylindrical holes of the behavioral device used to test courtship in Drosophila melanogaster. An odor-soaked filter paper is placed at the bottom of the cylinder, the center part of which holds the net in which the fly to be tested moves, and the cylinder is finally closed. A red light is used to illuminate the device for testing courtship in Drosophila melanogaster. [Figure 16] Figure 16 shows a behavioral device used to test courtship in Drosophila suzukii, which is similar to the one used for Drosophila melanogaster, but illuminated with white light. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a bar chart showing the time (minutes and seconds) leading to anesthesia of male or female Drosophila suzukii (Y-axis) in the presence of a composition comprising 2% butyric acid, 2% propionic acid, 5% ethyl propionate, 10% ethyl propionate, or 30% ethyl propionate (X-axis). [Figure 18] 18 is a bar chart showing measurements of the percentage of male courtship to female (Y-axis) of 3-6 day old olive fruit flies in the absence (without odor or solvent) or presence of compositions containing 2%, 4% and 5% propanoic acid (X-axis), respectively. In the figure, the numbers represent the number of pairs observed. [Figure 19] 19 is a bar chart showing measurements of the percentage of male courtship to female (Y-axis) of 13-19 day old olive fruit flies in the absence (without odor or solvent) or presence of compositions containing 2% and 5% propanoic acid (X-axis), respectively. In the figure, the numbers represent the number of pairs observed. [Figure 20]20 is a bar chart showing the time (minutes or seconds) (Y-axis) required for male and female Drosophila melanogaster (X-axis) to emerge from anesthesia induced by exposure to compositions containing 2% propanoic acid (left side on the X-axis) or 2% butyric acid (right side on the Y-axis), respectively. In the figure, the numbers represent the number of individuals tested (20 males and 30 females previously exposed to 2% propanoic acid, and 6 males and 7 females previously exposed to 2% butyric acid). EXAMPLES

[0107] Example 1: Effect of propionic acid and / or butyric acid on flies reproduction In this example, the flies used were Musca domestica, Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila suzukii. In this example, courtship and mating tests were performed.

[0108] A) Materials and Methods 1. Courtship evaluation 1.1.Drosophila melanogaster Three- to nine-day-old fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) are used for courtship tests as described in Non-Patent Document 3 and Non-Patent Document 4.

[0109] Naive males were individually isolated in tubes upon emerging from their pupae. Females were selected to be virgin and kept in tubes of 10 individuals. These tubes were placed in an incubator with a constant temperature of 25°C. A 12h / 12h day / night cycle was applied. Courtship took place in the morning between 1 and 3 hours after the start of the day cycle.

[0110] These tests were performed using 1.52 or cm 3The experiment was carried out in a device composed of six cylindrical transparent sealed vesicles (see FIG. 15) with a volume of 10 μl. A disk of filter paper (Whatman, filter paper 42) with a diameter of 6 mm is placed at its base. The paper is immersed in 10 μl of a composition containing propionic acid and / or butyric acid diluted in paraffin oil (solvent). The different compositions used contained 0.5% or 1% propionic acid, 0.5% or 1% butyric acid, respectively. For each concentration, the number of fly pairs tested was 23, 23, 19, and 19, respectively.

[0111] At the time of testing, one pair per vesicle was introduced into the behavioral device (i.e., 6 pairs). The pairs consisted of one male and one female, each originating from the tubes mentioned above. The flies were physically isolated from the odor source (the paper) by a net that prevented any direct contact, and the females were decapitated but remained alive. The device was also illuminated with a red light. (far from red, wavelengths between 625-630 nm) to eliminate any behavior associated with visual recognition (between 300-550 nm in D. melanogaster). Thus, the observed behavior depends solely on the olfactory recognition by the males of compounds introduced into the device during its assembly.

[0112] Behavior was filmed for 10 min using a HDR-XR550 camera (Sony). Films of each were recorded and stored for subsequent analysis.

[0113] The courtship rate (expressed as a percentage) was then calculated and represents the time that the male courted the female during the 10 min of recording the test. Courtship in Drosophila melanogaster is broken down into recognizable stereotyped events and is precisely described in the scientific literature (5). Statistical tests (Mann-Whitney test (non-parametric test, GraphPad, Prism8)) were performed to evaluate the effect of the compositions with which the paper was soaked on behavior; this includes the release of volatile compounds and odors recognized by Drosophila melanogaster.

[0114] A negative control was performed to verify the absence of any effect on the flies and corresponded to immersing the filter paper in a solution of paraffin oil alone (solvent).

[0115] 1.2.Drosophila suzukii Use 3-9 day old Drosophila melanogaster for courtship tests according to the method described above.

[0116] Naive males were individually isolated in tubes upon emerging from their pupae. Females were selected to be virgin and kept in tubes of 10 individuals. These tubes were placed on an incline in an incubator with a constant temperature of 25°C. A 12h / 12h day / night cycle was applied. Courtship took place in the morning between 1 and 3 hours after the start of the day cycle.

[0117] At the time of testing, a disk of 6 mm filter paper (Whatman, filter paper 42) was placed in each follicle of the device to test courtship behavior. Each follicle was 1.52 or 0.9 cm 3 The device used was a cylindrical, transparent, sealed volume of 100 mm. Figure 16 shows a schematic representation of the vesicle in the device used.

[0118] The paper was then soaked in 10 μl of a composition of 0.1%, 0.5% or 1% propionic acid, or 0.1%, 0.5% or 1% butyric acid, or a mixture containing 0.1% propionic acid and 0.1% butyric acid, 0.25% propionic acid and 0.25% butyric acid, or 0.5% propionic acid and 0.5% butyric acid. The gauze (mesh) allows the fruit flies to be physically isolated from the odor. Six pairs (one pair per vesicle) were observed independently. Each pair consisted of one male and one female, each coming from a tube mentioned above.

[0119] The behavior was filmed for 10 minutes under white light using a HDR-XR550 camera (Sony). Each film was recorded and then analyzed. For each concentration of the composition used, the number of fly pairs was 33, 39, 27, 38, 33, 27, 12, 6, and 12, respectively.

[0120] A negative control containing only the solvent, ie, paraffin oil, was performed to verify the absence of any effect of the solvent on the flies.

[0121] Courtship percentages were calculated and represent the time that males courted females during a 10-minute observation (recording). Courtship in D. suzukii was broken down into recognizable stereotyped events. The results are precisely described in the scientific literature (6). Statistical tests, namely the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's post hoc multiple comparison test (GraphPad, Prism6), were performed to evaluate the effect of the composition in which the paper was soaked on the behavior; this includes the release of volatile compounds and the odors recognized by the fruit flies.

[0122] 2. Mating Assessment From the films recorded to test the courtship behavior of Drosophila suzukii, the percentage of the number of pairs mating during a 10-minute observation was calculated based on the composition with which the filter paper was soaked. Statistical evaluation was performed and different tests were carried out. In particular, the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's post hoc multiple comparison test (GraphPad, Prism6) was performed to quantify the effect of the composition with which the paper was soaked, including volatile compounds and the perceived odor emission, on the number of individuals mating.

[0123] B) Result 1. Courtship evaluation 1-3 show the results obtained using Drosophila suzukii, particularly depending on the presence or absence of propionic acid, butyric acid, or a mixture of propionic acid and butyric acid, respectively.

[0124] As shown in Figure 1, in the presence of 0.5% propionic acid in the solvent, courtship was significantly reduced compared to the solvent alone (**). In the presence of 1% propionic acid in the solvent, courtship was significantly reduced compared to the solvent alone (****); similarly, courtship was significantly reduced compared to the composition containing 1% (****) vs. 0.1%, or 1% vs. 0.5% propionic acid (*).

[0125] As shown in FIG. 2, in the presence of 0.5% butyric acid in the solvent, courtship is significantly reduced compared to solvent alone (**); similarly, compared to 0.1% butyric acid in solvent (**).

[0126] In the presence of 1% butyric acid in the solvent, courtship is significantly reduced compared to solvent alone (****); as well as compared to 0.1% (****) and 0.5% (*).

[0127] As shown in Figure 3, courtship was reduced in the presence of 0.25% propionic acid and 0.25% butyric acid in the solvent compared to the solvent alone. Courtship was significantly reduced in the presence of 0.5% propionic acid and 0.5% butyric acid in the solvent compared to 0.1% propionic acid and 0.1% butyric acid (*) and 0.5% propionic acid and 0.5% butyric acid in the solvent.

[0128] 10 and 11 show the results obtained using Drosophila melanogaster, specifically depending on the presence or absence of propionate or butyrate, respectively.

[0129] As shown in Figure 10, the proportion of male courtship to females was significantly altered in the presence of a composition containing 1% propionic acid compared to solvent alone (*). Courtship was also significantly reduced in the presence of 1% propionic acid in solvent compared to 0.5% propionic acid in solvent (*).

[0130] As shown in Figure 11, the proportion of male courtship to females was significantly decreased in the presence of a composition containing 0.5% butyric acid compared to courtship in the presence of the solvent alone (*). Courtship was also significantly decreased in the presence of a composition containing 1% butyric acid compared to courtship in the presence of the solvent alone (***).

[0131] 2. Mating Assessment Figures 4 and 5 show the results obtained using Drosophila suzukii, particularly depending on the presence or absence of propionic acid, butyric acid, or a mixture of propionic and butyric acid, respectively.

[0132] As shown in Figure 4, the rate of mating was reduced by 58% in the presence of a composition containing 0.1% propionic acid diluted in solvent. In the presence of a composition containing 0.5% propionic acid ((*) vs. solvent alone) or 1% propionic acid ((*) vs. solvent alone), the rate of mating was zero; no mating was observed.

[0133] As shown in Figure 5, the rate of mating was reduced by 70.55% in the presence of a composition containing 0.1% butyric acid, the rate of mating was reduced by 83.03% (from 17.86% to 3.03%) in the presence of a composition containing 0.5% butyric acid, and the rate of mating was zero in the presence of a composition containing 1% butyric acid ((*) vs. solvent alone); no mating was observed.

[0134] As shown above, the presence of butyric and / or propionic acid makes it possible to control the reproduction of flies. In particular, as shown above, the embodiment of the composition according to the invention makes it possible to both reduce the courtship of males to females and to reduce or even inhibit the mating of flies.

[0135] This example also shows that propionic acid, butyric acid, and / or their derivatives are useful as active ingredients for controlling fly populations.

[0136] This example further illustrates that propionic acid, butyric acid, and / or derivatives thereof are useful as active ingredients for controlling fly reproduction at low concentrations, advantageously allowing for a rapid effect to be obtained while reducing and / or avoiding any possible side effects associated with, for example, higher concentrations.

[0137] Example 2: Effect of propionic acid and / or butyric acid and / or derivatives of propionic acid on the reproduction of flies and / or as repellent active ingredients In this example, the flies used were the flies Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila suzukii. The fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila suzukii) were as described in Example 1, except that Drosophila melanogaster females were not decapitated.

[0138] In this example, the anesthetic and repellent effects of propionic acid and / or butyric acid were tested.

[0139] A) Materials and Methods 1. Anesthesia Test The device used is determined by the volume of space in which the file is installed (45.24 or 22.62 cm 3The device was similar to that for testing courtship (example 1 above), except that the 9 discs of filter paper (Whatman, filter paper 42) were soaked in 10 μl of a composition containing butyric acid and / or propionic acid and / or derivatives of propionic acid diluted in paraffin oil and placed in the device. The different compositions used included 2% propionic acid or 2% butyric acid or 5% ethyl propionate or 10% ethyl propionate or 30% ethyl propionate, respectively. For each composition, the number of flies was 30 and 24 males, 30 and 11 females for D. melanogaster, and 24, 16, and 4 males, 28, 26, 6, 5, and 4 females for D. suzukii, respectively. To avoid any contact of the flies with the soaked paper discs, gauze (mesh) was lined on top of the paper. The flies were allowed to move freely on the gauze. The amount of compounds, butyric or propionic acid, or ethyl propionate (odor) volatilized in the behavioral chambers was equivalent to that in the device used for courtship. Likewise, the flies never had direct contact with the composition (no taste recognition), but only with the volatile particles (olfactory recognition). The tested flies were introduced simultaneously in the enclosures, by group. Their behavior was filed for 10 min and the time required to lead to anesthesia was calculated over this period depending on the concentration of butyric or propionic acid or ethyl propionate used. The flies were considered anesthetized when they stopped moving and fell on their side. The Mann-Whitney test (non-parametric test, GraphPad, Prism 6 or Prism 8) did not reveal any differences in the time elapsed before anesthesia for the tested males or females.

[0140] 2. "In the box" testing (repellent effect) The sensitivity of Drosophila melanogaster was measured at 1250 cm 3 conditions in a sealed transparent box (see results) over a period from 0 minutes to 24 hours.

[0141] The odor source, i.e. a composition containing butyric or propionic acid in paraffin oil, was deposited on a filter paper at the bottom of a 50 mm Petri dish. To prevent the flies from attaching to the oily odor compounds, the Petri dish was introduced into the test box and covered with gauze (Securimed M8202 sterile gauze pad).

[0142] The concentrations used were 2%, 6%, or 20% propionic acid.

[0143] A second Petri dish containing 5-6 grams of synthetic food used to breed Drosophila in the laboratory was placed in the test box (i.e., 6.5% corn flour, 6.5% (v / v) yeast extract, 1% (v / v) agar-agar, and 3% (v / v) of 0.1% (v / v) antifungal solution (Tegosept (Apex)) in 95% ethanol). This latter provided the water and / or food that the flies needed during the test, eliminating the possibility of events due to dehydration of the tested individuals.

[0144] Drosophila melanogaster or Drosophila suzukii were then introduced in groups into a test box where they were allowed to move freely over time. Their behavior in the presence of the above-mentioned compositions was observed and photographed (iPhone® 6S (Apple Inc.)).

[0145] B) Result 1. Anesthesia Test Figures 6-9 and Figure 17 show the results obtained using Drosophila suzukii, depending on the presence or absence of propionic acid or butyric acid or ethyl propionate, respectively.

[0146] In the presence of 2% propionic acid, male and female flies were anesthetized in approximately 4 minutes, as shown in Figure 6. Statistical evaluation (Mann-Whitney test, p=0.7056) showed no significant difference in the time required to anesthetize males or females.

[0147] In the presence of 2% butyric acid, male and female flies were anesthetized in approximately 5 minutes, as shown in Figure 7. Statistical evaluation (Mann-Whitney test, p=0.43) showed no significant difference in the time required to anesthetize males or females.

[0148] Figure 8 shows the 1250 cm 3 Photographs showing the anesthesia of Drosophila suzukii after introduction into a transparent test box of 1000 μg / kg, in which propionic acid diluted to 2% in a solvent is deposited in a Petri dish covered with gauze to avoid any direct contact. Individuals are first preferably kept away from the odor, then males and females are anesthetized at the following times. The photographs show the flies in anesthetized position and one individual lying on its back at the times after introduction into the box.

[0149] Figure 9 shows the 1250 cm 3 Photograph showing the anesthesia of Drosophila suzukii after introduction into a transparent test box in which butyric acid diluted to 2% in a solvent is deposited in a Petri dish covered with gauze to avoid any direct contact. The flies present in the transparent test box remained away from the filter soaked in butyric acid, and males and females were anesthetized and died after 20 hours in this environment. The photograph shows the flies in the anesthetized position and one individual on its back at the time after introduction into the box.

[0150] 12 and 13 show the results obtained in the device described in A1 and using Drosophila melanogaster, depending in particular on the presence or absence of propionate or butyrate, respectively.

[0151] As shown in Figure 12, in the presence of 2% propionic acid, male flies were anesthetized in about 3 min and female flies were anesthetized in about 5 min. Statistical evaluation (non-parametric Mann-Whitney test) between the time required for male or female flies to be anesthetized demonstrated a greater sensitivity of males (****).

[0152] As shown in Figure 13, in the presence of 2% butyric acid, male flies were anesthetized in about 5 minutes and female flies in about 17 minutes. A statistical evaluation (non-parametric Mann-Whitney) between the time required for male or female flies to be anesthetized demonstrated a greater sensitivity of males (****).

[0153] FIG. 17 shows results obtained in the device described in A1 and using female Drosophila suzukii in the presence of 2% butyric acid or 2% propionic acid or 5% ethyl propionate or 10% ethyl propionate or 30% ethyl propionate.

[0154] As shown in Figure 17, in the presence of 2% butyric acid, female flies were anesthetized in about 5 minutes, and in the presence of 2% propionic acid, female flies were anesthetized in about 4 minutes. The statistical evaluation (non-parametric Mann-Whitney) of the time required to anesthetize females shows an increased sensitivity (**) in the presence of 2% butyric acid in solvent compared to 2% propionic acid in solvent. In the presence of 5% ethyl propionate, female flies were anesthetized in about 6 minutes, and in the presence of 10% ethyl propionate, female flies were anesthetized in about 4 minutes, thereby demonstrating no statistical difference with respect to 2% propionic acid and 2% butyric acid. Moreover, in the presence of 30% ethyl propionate, female flies were anesthetized in about 2-3 minutes, which corresponds to a significant statistical difference with respect to 2% butyric acid (****) and with respect to 2% propionic acid (***).

[0155] 2. Repellent effect test ("in the box" test) Figures 14A, 14B and 14C show results obtained using Drosophila melanogaster. In boxes containing propionic acid diluted to 2% or 6% in a solvent (paraffin oil), the flies are still viable after 24 hours. During this period, males and females court and mate; when removed from the boxes, they have viable offspring.

[0156] With 20% propionic acid diluted in a solvent, the individual is anesthetized at the next test time by moving it away from the filter paper soaked in the odorous composition.

[0157] Example 3: Effect of propionic acid and / or butyric acid and / or derivatives of propionic acid on the reproduction of flies and / or as repellent active ingredients In this example, the flies used were 3-6 days old or 13-19 days old, respectively. It was an olive fruit fly.

[0158] A) Materials and Methods 1. Courtship evaluation Olive flies (Olea europaea) aged 3-6 days or sexually mature (9-13 days) were used for testing male courtship towards females (Non-Patent Document 7 and Menage Cindy, personal communication). Naive males were isolated individually in tubes when they emerged from their pupae. Females were selected to be virgin and kept together in tubes. These tubes were placed on an incline in an incubator with a constant temperature of 25°C. A 12h / 12h day / night cycle was applied. Courtship tests were performed in the morning, 1 hour before the end of the daily cycle when males are most active (Non-Patent Document 7).

[0159] At the time of testing, three disks of filter paper (Whatman, filter paper 42) measuring 6 mm in size were placed in each vesicle of the device to test courtship behavior. Each vesicle was cylindrical, transparent, sealed, and had a diameter of 5.9 cm. 3 Figure 16 is a schematic representation of the vesicles in the device used.

[0160] The papers were then soaked in 10 ml of a composition of 2%, 4% or 5% propionic acid, respectively. A gauze (net) made it possible to physically isolate the olive flies from the odor corresponding to propionic acid. Two pairs (one pair per vesicle) were observed independently. Each pair consisted of one male and one female, each coming from the tubes mentioned above.

[0161] Behavior was filmed for 10 minutes under white light using a Basler acA1920-155um USB 3.0 camera. Each film was recorded (Basler Video Recording Software V1.3) and then analyzed. For each concentration of the composition used, the number of fly pairs was 2, 5, 2, 2, 2 and 6, 6, 4, 4, respectively.

[0162] A negative control containing only the solvent, ie, paraffin oil, was performed to verify the absence of any effect of the solvent on the flies.

[0163] The courtship percentage was calculated and represents the time that the male courted the female during a 10-minute observation (recording). The different steps consisted of wing movements (rapid "buzzing" and / or vertical oscillations), facial movements, lateral movements, "dancing" in rapid circles and in the direction of the female (Non-Patent Document 7 and Menage Cindy, personal communication).

[0164] B) Result Figures 18 and 19 show the results obtained using olive fruit flies, depending on the presence or absence of propionic acid, according to their age.

[0165] As shown in Figure 18, in the presence of 2% propionic acid in the solvent, courtship of males towards females was significantly reduced compared to solvent alone. In the presence of 4% and 5% propionic acid in the solvent, courtship was virtually absent.

[0166] As shown in FIG. 19, in the presence of compositions containing 2% or 5% propionic acid, in other words, in the presence of 2% and 5% propionic acid in the solvent, male courtship of females was reduced compared to the solvent alone.

[0167] As shown above, the presence of propionic acid makes it possible to control the reproduction of flies. In particular, as shown above, the embodiment of the composition according to the invention allows the reproduction of males relative to females. This makes it possible to reduce both the courtship of the

[0168] This example also shows that propionic acid is useful as an active ingredient for controlling fly populations without insecticidal effects.

[0169] Moreover, this example clearly shows that the presence of propionic acid advantageously allows for the reduction and / or inhibition of courtship and / or mating in flies. This example also clearly shows that the presence of propionic acid controls pre-oviposition reproduction.

[0170] This example further illustrates that propionic acid is useful as an active ingredient for controlling fly reproduction at low concentrations, advantageously allowing for rapid efficacy to be obtained while reducing and / or avoiding any possible side effects associated with, for example, higher concentrations.

[0171] Example 4: Effect of the suppressive / reversible effect of derivatives of propionic acid and / or butyric acid and / or propionic acid on anesthesia in flies In this example, the fly suborder used was Drosophila melanogaster. The fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) was the fruit fly described in Example 2.

[0172] In this example, the reversible non-toxic effects of propanoic acid and / or butyric acid were examined.

[0173] A) Materials and Methods Testing for reversible effects The device used was the device described for the test of anesthesia as described in Example 2 above. The application conditions for propanoic acid or butyric acid were similar to those for the anesthesia test described in Example 2 above. The flies were placed in the presence of 2% propanoic acid or 2% butyric acid for 10 minutes. At the end of the 10 minutes of observation of anesthesia (Example 2 above), the flies were removed from the device and placed in another device that was identical but "empty", i.e., without solvent or odor (odor = 2% propanoic acid in solvent or 2% butyric acid in solvent, respectively). For each empty device, the total number of flies introduced and observed was 20 males and 30 females that had been previously exposed to 2% propanoic acid and removed from this anesthesia environment, and 6 males and 7 females that had been previously exposed to 2% butyric acid and removed from this anesthesia environment.

[0174] Flies' behaviour in the empty device was observed and filmed for 25 min.

[0175] Flies were considered to have woken up from anesthesia if they rose again and moved around in the device.

[0176] The time required for the flies to awaken after anesthesia was then measured.

[0177] B) Result FIG. 20 shows the results obtained using male and female Drosophila melanogaster, respectively, after exposure to 2% propanoic acid and / or 2% butyric acid, respectively.

[0178] As shown in FIG. 20 (left side of the X-axis), males fully recovered from anesthesia after 23 min when they were removed from the odor device in order to place them in an empty device after they had previously spent 10 min in the presence of 2% propanoic acid. % propanoic acid and then fully recovered from anesthesia 9 minutes later when they were removed from the odor device in order to be placed into an empty device.

[0179] As shown in Figure 20 (right side of X-axis), males fully emerged from anesthesia after 6 min when they were removed from the odor device to place them in an empty device after they had previously spent 10 min in the presence of 2% butyric acid, and females fully emerged from anesthesia after 4.5 min when they were removed from the odor device to place them in an empty device after they had previously spent 10 min in the presence of 2% butyric acid.

[0180] As shown in this example, the exemplary composition according to the invention advantageously allows reversible anesthesia in flies. Moreover, this example clearly demonstrates that the use of the exemplary composition according to the invention is non-toxic with respect to flies, in particular because of its reversible effect.

Claims

1. Use of at least one fatty acid selected from the group including propionic acid and butyric acid as an active ingredient for reducing and / or inhibiting courtship and / or mating in the suborder Diptera.

2. 2. The use according to claim 1, wherein the suborder of flies is selected from the group comprising insects of the families Ophididae, Hippocampidae, Spider flies, Syrphidae, Tachinidae, Phoridae, Thermitoxena and Tephritidae.

3. 3. The use according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the suborder Flies is selected from the group comprising insects of the genera Drosophila, Tsetse, Blowfly, Auchmeromyia, Calliphora, Fleshfly and Stomoxys.

4. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the suborder of flies is selected from the group comprising Drosophila suzukii, Drosophila oleracea.

5. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the propionic acid is at a concentration of 0.1 to 30% by volume (v / v).

6. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the butyric acid is at a concentration of 0.1 to 2% by volume (v / v).

7. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the propionic acid and / or the butyric acid is in a composition further comprising an acceptable carrier.

8. 8. The use according to claim 7, wherein said acceptable carrier is paraffin oil.

9. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the fatty acid as defined in claims 1 to 6 or the composition as defined in claims 7 or 8 is applied using a duster, a spray, an atomizer or an impregnated carrier.

10. 9. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the fatty acid as defined in claims 1 to 6 or the composition as defined in claims 7 or 8 is present in a case, the case further comprising a carrier comprising instructions for use.

11. 10. A method for protecting at least one biotic and / or abiotic surface from Diptera by reducing and / or inhibiting courtship and / or mating of Diptera, comprising the application onto the surface of said fatty acid as defined in claims 1 to 6 or said composition as defined in claim 7 or 8, said biotic and / or abiotic surface being the surface of all or part of a vegetable and / or plant.

12. A composition for reducing and / or inhibiting courtship and / or mating in flies, comprising at least one fatty acid selected from the group consisting of propionic acid and butyric acid and an acceptable carrier.

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