I-Corps: A Novel, Eco-Friendly Essential Oil-based Pesticide for Organic Use

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces NM

Investigators

Abstract

While the rise of the organic food market is well documented, organic farmers have struggled to find an effective, certified organic bio-pesticide. For example, organic onions farmers in California are losing up to 20% of their annual yield to nematodes. Nematicides are particularly of interest to growers and turf grass managers because commercially available nematicides are being phased out by the EPA due to their non target toxicity. This I-Corps team has developed a patent pending eco-friendly,organic, plant essential oil-based bio-pesticide (NMX)that has been demonstrated to be an effective and safe plant fungicide, bactericide, nematicide, and insecticide. NMX has been tested in laboratory, greenhouse, and field trials, both in Mexico and the USA, on a variety of plants, including tomatoes, chile, jalapeno, bell pepper and turfgrass. Currently NMX is being tested on representative insects, is being registered with the EPA as a biopesticide and is registered with the EPA biopesticide division as a biochemical. Due to the unique organic formulation of NMX and its ability to control a broad range of pests, NMX has the potential of being a major disruptor in the pesticide market. The product has a broad target market, including organic agriculture, golf course industry, athletic field management and homeowner landscapes. In addition, end users will have the value added benefits associated with an organic and sustainable product. Additional research is needed to further comprehend the marketability and market demand of NMX. The goal of this project is to commercialize an effective ecofriendly pesticide that will reduce the use of harmful synthetic pesticides. The application of NMX as a fungicide and bactericide to control common agricultural and home landscape pests has been developed to the point of alpha prototype, having already performed extensive laboratory, greenhouse and field tests. Similarly, the team has demonstrated the efficacy of NMX against nematodes and found the range of concentrations that protect turf grass while killing nematodes. The development of NMX as an insecticide is in the proof of concept stage, having performed a few field tests against insect thrips on onion. Pertinent to commercialization, the team is in the process of getting NMX registered as a biopesticide with the EPA. Before additional validation and efficacy tests are set up and performed on nematodes and insects, the team must validate the NMX technology in the market. In order to obtain this market validation the team will participate in the NSF I-CORPS program and perform one hundred customer interviews in the organic agriculture, turfgrass management, and home landscape market sectors. The team intends to travel to the East and West coasts to interview customers, focusing on California and Florida(golf courses and organic farms, (the New England States (organic dairies and golf course), and Northern New Mexico(organic dairies).