An international agricultural company has licensed a formula for fighting crop disease that a 麻豆原创 scientist spent more than five years perfecting.<\/p>\n
Gowan Co. recently signed an agreement with the 麻豆原创 to obtain exclusive rights to the anti-fungal and anti-bacterial formulation developed by researcher Swadeshmukul Santra. The formulation couples a centuries-old agricultural practice with cutting edge nanoscience. Gowan plans to market it for use on a wide range of fruits and vegetables, including citrus, potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, berries and more.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are very excited to partner with 麻豆原创 on this innovative new product as it will enhance the fungicide\/bactericide portfolio that we are able to offer our global customers,\u201d said Gowan Co. chief operating officer Jacque Palmer. \u201cIt\u2019s an excellent opportunity for us to use our expertise in bringing critical technologies such as this to market to help growers protect their crops.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s common for the private sector to license technology invented by 麻豆原创 researchers. But this agreement represents the first time a 麻豆原创 discovery has been licensed for the agricultural industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my opinion, this is groundbreaking,\u201d said Andrea Adkins, assistant director of 麻豆原创\u2019s Office of Research and & Commercialization. \u201cIt\u2019s the forerunner of everything coming from 麻豆原创 in agriculture.\u201d<\/p>\n
Santra, an associate professor with joint appointments in 麻豆原创\u2019s NanoScience Technology Center and Department of Chemistry, began working on the formula in 2011. Through trial and error, Santra and his research team developed more than two dozen formulations before finding the right one \u2013 known internally as SG-25, for the 25th formula from the \u201cSantra Group.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were a lot of challenges for us to develop this product,\u201d Santra said. \u201cIt takes time.\u201d<\/p>\n
It relies on an age-old treatment: Copper, which was first used in agriculture in 1761 for treating seeds to protect from soil-borne fungal attack. Since then, copper compounds have been a staple in preventing crop disease.<\/p>\n
But this isn\u2019t your grandmother\u2019s copper. Santra developed copper nanoparticles about 100,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair, and embedded those tiny particles in a silica matrix. Field trials have shown the new formulation is more effective at preventing disease than the industry standard. And it\u2019s safer for the environment, Santra said.<\/p>\n
When growers apply copper compounds to their crops, it can build up in the soil over time. Too much copper limits the ability of plants to take in other nutrients, and at high levels can be toxic to aquatic species \u2013 reasons why the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulates its agricultural use. And over time, bacteria can develop resistance.<\/p>\n
Nanoparticles have much greater surface area than copper in its normal state, so they\u2019re more effective at lower levels.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy goal was to stick to copper \u2013 which has been the gold standard for centuries \u2013 but to redesign it to improve its effectiveness, minimize the development of antimicrobial resistance and cut down the amount of copper we apply in agricultural fields,\u201d Santra said.<\/p>\n
The Gowan Co. first learned of Santra\u2019s work in 2011 when one of his close collaborators, Jim Graham of the University of Florida Citrus Research and Education Center, presented findings from field trials of Santra\u2019s work to Florida growers. A Gowan representative was in the audience and later connected with Santra.<\/p>\n
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation helped fund some of Santra\u2019s research. Santra and his graduate students have been working with Gowan to develop the formula through several years of tests.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a great learning experience for me,\u201d said graduate student Mikaeel Young, who has worked closely with Gowan on the project.<\/p>\n
Under terms of the licensing agreement, Gowan will now work to obtain regulatory approval from the EPA and at the state level. That process can take two years or more.<\/p>\n
Through the work of 麻豆原创\u2019s Office of Research & Commercialization, the agreement will bring royalties from future sales to the university and its inventors.<\/p>\n