Timed Dual-Pheromone Release for Cotton Bollworm Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for controlling pink bollworm and American bollworm in cotton cultivation face challenges such as damage to early flower buds, reduced yield due to vegetation, high costs of sex pheromone substances, and ineffective use of Bt cotton, leading to decreased cotton production.

Innovation Solution

A method involving planting cotton seedlings at specific times relative to the emergence of pink bollworm generations and installing sustained release pheromone preparations containing Z,Z/Z,E-hexadecadienyl acetate and Z-11-hexadecenal to disrupt mating, combined with natural enemies for American bollworm control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If Bt cotton is used to control pink bollworm, then pink bollworm is controlled, but early flower buds are damaged by larvae, causing vegetation and reduced yield

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepink bollworm controlVSAvoidcotton yield
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by deploying sustained release pheromone preparations before the pink bollworm emergence peak. The pheromone is released in advance to disrupt mating before larvae can damage early flower buds, preventing vegetation while maintaining cotton yield. This timing strategy ensures protective action occurs before the harmful effect can manifest.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If pyrethroids are used to protect early flower buds, then damage to early flower buds is prevented, but secondary insect pests emerge and cause trouble

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveearly flower bud damageVSAvoidsecondary insect pests
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of pyrethroids (killing natural enemies) into a benefit by using sustained release pheromone preparations that selectively disrupt pink bollworm mating without killing natural enemies. The pheromone approach achieves flower bud protection while preserving the ecological balance, turning a harmful control method into a beneficial one that protects both crops and natural enemies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If sex pheromone substances are used for mating disruption of American bollworm, then American bollworm is controlled, but control cost becomes high due to expensive synthesis and large amount required

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveAmerican bollworm controlVSAvoidcontrol cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the control of pink bollworm and American bollworm into a single integrated system using sustained release pheromone preparations that contain both pheromone types. This combination approach allows simultaneous disruption of both species' mating, reducing the need for separate control programs and lowering overall control costs while maintaining effective management of both pests.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach effectively suppresses damage to flower buds and balls, increases cotton yield by maintaining ball formation, and reduces the need for expensive sex pheromone substances by leveraging natural enemies.

Implementation Method 1

installing a sustained release pheromone preparation comprising Z,Z/Z,E-hexadecadienyl acetate and Z-11-hexadecenal, which are sex pheromone substances of the pink bollworm and the species selected from an American bollworm and its family, respectively, in the field during a period of from 2 days to 15 days before a predicted emergence date of the next-generation adult pink bollworm, to release the Z,Z/Z,E-hexadecadienyl acetate and the Z-11-hexadecenal into the field

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPheromone disruption:

Data Source

PatentUS12446579B2Method for simultaneously preventing pink bollworm and American bollworm
Publication Date: 2025.10.21 SHIN ETSU CHEMICAL CO LTD

AI summary

Method for simultaneously preventing pink bollworm and American bollworm, the method including at least: a step in which cotton seedlings are planted in a field 21-41 days after the date of occurrence of the adult stage of the pink bollworm in the case of the first generation, and 1-29 days after the date of occurrence of the adult stage in the case of second and subsequent generations; and a step in which an extended-release pheromone preparation including at least Z,Z/Z,E-7,11-hexadecadienyl acetate, which is a sexual pheromone substance for pink bollworm, and Z-11-hexadecenal, which is a sexual pheromone substance for American bollworm, is implanted in the field 2-15 days before the expected date of occurrence of the adult stage of the next generation of pink bollworm, the expected date derived from the effective integrated temperature, and the sexual pheromone substances in the extended-release pheromone preparation are released in the field.