Author
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Puterka, Gary |
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Submitted to: Encyclopedia of Entomology
Publication Type: Book / Chapter Publication Acceptance Date: 9/29/2010 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Sugar esters are a class of compounds that are internationally recognized as food additives. They are commonly used in bakery goods, drugs, cosmetics, food packaging plastics, and in other applications because of their surfactant and emulsifying properties and long history of safety to humans. Synthetic sugar esters are similar in structure to those that naturally occur in wild tobacco and have comparable insecticidal activity. Synthetic sugar esters have been developed that have the same chemical structure as natural sugar esters. Sugar esters have been shown to rapidly kill a large range of insect and mite species attacking plants. Sucrose octanoate was the first sugar ester to become a registered insecticide and it is approved for use in organic crop production. This material first became commercially available as "Sucrocide" (Dadant and Sons, Hamilton, IL) where it was used for control of varroa mite in honey beehives. Sucrose octanoate is also available as "Sucroshield" (Natural Forces LCC., Davidson, NC) for greenhouse and field crop use against most insect pests. Technical Abstract: Sugar esters, also known as acyl sugars or polyol esters, are a class of compounds that are internationally recognized as food additives. They are commonly used in bakery goods, drugs, cosmetics, food packaging plastics, and in other applications because of their surfactant and emulsifying properties and long history of safety to humans. Synthetic sugar esters are similar in structure to those that naturally occur in N. gossei Domin and have comparable insecticidal activity. The sugar molecule has eight free hydroxyl groups that can be esterified with a fatty acid but there are three main hydroxyl groups that are primarily reactive in the sugar ester manufacturing process. Different methods of synthesis can influence whether the resulting sugar ester product is a mono-acyl sucrose or a mixture of di- and tri-acyl sucrose esters. Both natural and synthetic sucrose esters have been shown to have contact toxicity with very rapid knock-down ability against a large range of arthropod species including two spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch), hornworm, tobacco aphid, and pear psylla (Cacopsylla pyricola (Foerster)) and psyllids when applied in low concentrations (500-1000 ppm) in water as a spray. In 2002, sucrose octanoate became the first sugar ester to be registered as an insecticide by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and soon gained approval for organic production by OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute). Sucrose octanoate first became commercially available as "Sucrocide" (Dadant and Sons, Hamilton, IL) where it was used for control of varroa mite in honey beehives. Sucrose octanoate is also available as "Sucroshield" (Natural Forces LCC., Davidson, NC) for greenhouse and field crop use against most arthropod pests. |
