MIXTURES OF SABADILLA ALKALOIDS WITH LYSINIBACILLUS SPHAERICUS OR MIXTURES OF SABADILLA ALKALOIDS WITH BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS AND USES THEREOF

Abstract

The present invention is directed to pesticidal mixtures comprising sabadilla alkaloids and a bacterium selected from the group consisting of Lysinibacillus sphaericus and a mixture of Lysinibacillus sphaericus and Bacillus thuringiensis and methods of controlling pests by application of pesticidal mixtures comprising sabadilla alkaloids and a bacterium selected from the group consisting of Lysinibacillus sphaericus and a mixture of Lysinibacillus sphaericus and Bacillus thuringiensis.

Claims

1. A pesticidal mixture comprising an effective amount of sabadilla alkaloids and a bacterium selected from the group consisting of Lysinibacillus sphaericus and a mixture of Lysinibacillus sphaericus and Bacillus thuringiensis.

2. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the sabadilla alkaloids are derived from Schoenocaulon officinale.

3. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the sabadilla alkaloids are veratridine and cevadine.

4. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the bacterium is Lysinibacillus sphaericus.

5. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the bacterium is Lysinibacillus sphaericus subspecies group IIA.

6. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the bacterium is a mixture of Lysinibacillus sphaericus and Bacillus thuringiensis.

7. The mixture of claim 6, wherein the Bacillus thuringiensis is a subspecies selected from the group consisting of kurstaki, israelensis, aizawai and mixtures thereof.

8. A method of controlling a pest comprising applying the pesticidal mixture of claim 1 to the pest or the pest's environment.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the pest is a mosquito.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the mosquito is of a genus selected from the group consisting of Aedes, Culex, and Anopheles.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the pest is selected from the group consisting of yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti), southern house mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus), African malaria mosquito (Anopheles gambiae), common malaria mosquito (Anopheles quadrimaculatus).

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the sabadilla alkaloid is applied at a rate from about 1 to about 1,000 grams per hectare.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the sabadilla alkaloid is applied at a rate from about 10 to about 700 grams per hectare.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the sabadilla alkaloid is applied at a rate from about 22 to about 105 grams per hectare.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the bacterium is applied at a rate from about 10 to about 10,000 grams per hectare.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the bacterium is applied at a rate from about 100 to about 5,000 grams per hectare.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the bacterium is applied at a rate from about 420 to about 1681 grams per hectare.

18. A pesticidal mixture comprising an effective amount of sabadilla alkaloids and a fermentate of a bacterium selected from the group consisting of Lysinibacillus sphaericus and a mixture of Lysinibacillus sphaericus and Bacillus thuringiensis.

19. A method of controlling a pest comprising applying the pesticidal mixture of claim 18 to the pest or the pest's environment.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Applicant unexpectedly discovered that pesticidal mixtures of sabadilla alkaloids and Lysinibacillus sphaericus provided enhanced pesticidal activity compared to either pesticide alone. Further, Applicant discovered that pesticidal mixtures of sabadilla alkaloids with a mixture of L. sphaericus and Bacillus thuringiensis provided enhanced pesticidal activity compared to either pesticide alone.

[0016] The present invention is directed to pesticidal mixtures of sabadilla alkaloids and a bacterium selected from the group consisting of L. sphaericus and a mixture of L. sphaericus and B. thuringiensis.

[0017] Sabadilla alkaloids may be derived from any species of Schoenocaulon. The genus Schoenocaulon includes the following species: S. calcicola, S. caricifolium, S. comatum, S. conzattii, S. dubium (alt. S. gracile), S. framei, S. ghiesbreghtii (alt. S. drummondii, S. yucatanense), S. ignigenum, S. intermedium, S. jaliscense, S. macrocarpum (alt. S. lauricola), S. madidorum, S. megarrhizum, S. mortonii, S. oaxacense, S. obtusum, S. officinale, S. pellucidum, S. plumosum, S. pringlei, S. rzedowskii, S. tenorioi, S. tenue, S. tenuifolium, S. texanum, and S. tigrense. In a preferred embodiment the sabadilla alkaloids are derived from S. officinale. In another preferred embodiment the sabadilla alkaloids are veratridine and cevadine.

[0018] Lysinibacillus sphaericus contains six subspecies groups including I, IIA, IIB, III, IV and V. In a preferred embodiment, the L. sphaericus is from the subspecies group IIA.

[0019] Bacillus thuringiensis includes many subspecies, each of which are suitable for use in the present invention alone, or in combination. Subspecies of B. thuringiensis include, but are not limited to, aizawai, alesti, berliner, nitimus, cameroun, canadiensis, colmeri, coreanensis, dakota, darmstadiensis, dendrolimus, entomocidus, fukuokaensis, galleriae, higo, indiana, israelensis, japonensis, japonensis Buibui, jegathesan, kenyae, kumamotoensis, kunthala, kurstaki, kyushuensis, Medellin, mexcanensis, morrisoni, neoleonensis, nigeriae, oloke, ongbei, ostriniae, pakistani, pondicheriensis, roskildiensis, san diego, shandogiensis, shanghai, silo, sotto, subtoxicus, tenebrionis, thompsoni, thuringiensis, tochigiensis, tohokuensis, tolworthi, toumanoffi, wuhanensis, yunnanensis. In a preferred embodiment, B. thuringiensis comprises bacteria of subspecies selected from aizawai, israelensis, kurstaki, thuringiensis and combinations thereof. In a more preferred embodiment, B. thuringiensis comprises bacteria of subspecies selected from aizawai, kurstaki, thuringiensis and combinations thereof. In another preferred embodiment, B. thuringiensis comprises bacteria from a combination of subspecies selected from the group consisting of: aizawai and kurstaki; aizawai and thuringiensis; and kurstaki and thuringiensis.

[0020] As used herein, all numerical values relating to amounts, weight percentages and the like are defined as about or approximately each particular value, namely, plus or minus 10%. For example, the phrase at least 5% by weight is to be understood as at least 4.5% to 5.5% by weight. Therefore, amounts within 10% of the claimed values are encompassed by the scope of the claims.

[0021] As used herein, w/w denotes weight by weight of the total mixture.

[0022] The term effective amount means the amount of the formulation that will control the target pest. The effective amount will vary depending on the mixture concentration, the type of pest(s) being treated, the severity of the pest infestation, the result desired, and the life stage of the pest during treatment, among other factors. Thus, it is not always possible to specify an exact effective amount. However, an appropriate effective amount in any individual case may be determined by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the ratio of sabadilla alkaloids to bacterium is from about 1:1,000 to about 1:1, more preferably from about 1:500:1 to about 1:2, yet more preferably from about 1:100 to about 1:3 and most preferably from about 1:76 to about 1:4.

[0024] In another preferred embodiment, the pesticidal mixtures of the present invention may contain one or more excipients selected from the group consisting of solvents, anti-caking agents, stabilizers, defoamers, slip agents, humectants, dispersants, wetting agents, thickening agents, emulsifiers, penetrants, adjuvants, polymers, propellants and/or preservatives.

[0025] The present invention is further directed to methods of controlling a pest comprising applying a pesticidal mixture comprising an effective amount of sabadilla alkaloids and a bacterium selected from the group consisting of L. sphaericus and a mixture of L. sphaericus and B. thuringiensis to the pest or the pest's environment.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the pest is selected from a mosquito and a nematode.

[0027] In an embodiment, the pest controlled is selected from the group consisting of yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti), southern house mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus), African malaria mosquito (Anopheles gambiae), common malaria mosquito (Anopheles quadrimaculatus).

[0028] The pesticidal mixtures of the present invention can be applied by any convenient means. Those skilled in the art are familiar with the modes of application including spraying, brushing, soaking, in-furrow treatments, pressurized liquids (aerosols), fogging or side-dressing.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, sabadilla alkaloids are applied to the pest or the pest's environment at a rate from about 1 to about 1,000 grams per hectare (g/HA), preferably from about 10 to about 700 g/HA and most preferably from about 22 to about 105 g/HA.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the bacterium is applied to the pest or the pest's environment at a rate from about 10 to 10,000 g/HA, more preferably from about 100 to about 5,000 g/HA, yet more preferably from about 200 to about 2,000 g/HA and most preferably from about 420 to about 1681 g/HA.

[0031] In another preferred embodiment, pesticidal mixtures of the present invention comprise from about 0.05% to about 0.5% w/w sabadilla alkaloids.

[0032] As used herein, control a pest or controlling pest(s) refers to killing, incapacitating, repelling, or otherwise decreasing the negative impact of the pest on plants or animals to a level that is desirable to the grower or animal.

[0033] As used herein, pest's environment refers to any area that the pest is present during any life stage. One environment likely to be treated by the methods of the present invention includes the plants that the pest is living on and the surrounding soil. The pest's environment may also include harvested plants, gardens, fields, greenhouses, or other buildings, and various indoor surfaces and structures, such as furniture including beds, and furnishings including books, clothing, etc.

[0034] The articles a, an and the are intended to include the plural as well as the singular, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. For example, the methods of the present invention are directed to controlling pest but this can include control of a multiple pests (such as a more than one insect or more than one insect species).

[0035] The following examples are intended to illustrate the present invention and to teach one of ordinary skill in the art how to use the extracts of the invention. They are not intended to be limiting in any way.

EXAMPLES

Example 1Mosquitoes

[0036] In this study, the response of the mosquito to application of a 1:76, 1:19, 1:16, and 1:4 ratio of sabadilla (S. officinale) alkaloids to bacterial toxins will be observed. Specifically, sabadilla alkaloids and bacterial toxins will be applied to the pest at the respective rates of: 1) 22 g/HA and 420 g/HA; 2) 105 g/HA and 420 g/HA; 3) 22 g/HA and 1681 g/HA; and 4) 105 g/HA and 1681 g/HA.

[0037] The results of the study are predicted to show more than an additive effect. One can determine that the response is more than additive using the following formula: % C.sub.exp=A+B(AB/100).