US010383339B2 (12 ) United States Patent ( 10 ) Patent No. : US 10 , 383, 339 B2 Kellar et al. (45 ) Date of Patent: Aug. 20 , 2019 ( 54 ) COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR ( 56 ) References Cited TREATING PESTS U . S . PATENT DOCUMENTS ( 71 ) Applicant: NOVOZYMES BIOAG A / S , 5 ,413 ,784 A 5 / 1995 Wright Bagsvaerd (DK ) 5 ,472 ,493 A * 12/ 1995 Regan .. .. .. .. .. C09D 7 / 1225 106 / 481 (72 ) Inventors : Kenneth Edmund Kellar , Durham , NC 5 ,512 ,280 A * 4 / 1996 Johal . .. .. AO1N 63 / 04 (US ) ; Emily Looze , Bedford , VA (US ) ; 424 / 93 . 5 5 ,516 ,513 A 5 / 1996 Wright Jarrod Leland , Blacksburg , VA (US ) 5 , 730 , 973 A 3 / 1998 Morales 5 , 888 , 989 A 3 / 1999 Kern (73 ) Assignee : NOVOZYMES BIOAG A / S , 5 , 939 , 065 A 8 / 1999 Bradley Bagsvaerd (DK ) 7 , 241 ,612 B2 7 /2007 Shapiro - Ilan 2008 / 0175930 A1 * 7 /2008 Baseeth . .. A01N 25 / 30 ( * ) Notice : Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 424 / 742 patent is extended or adjusted under 35 2010 /0112060 A1 5 / 2010 Maor U . S . C . 154 (b ) by 0 days. 2012 /0039976 AL 2 /2012 Stamets FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS (21 ) Appl. No. : 15/ 034 , 642 CN 101273729 B * 6 / 2011 DE 19707178 Al 8 / 1998 ( 22 ) PCT Filed : Nov . 5 , 2014 EP 0406103 B1 2 / 1996 EP 1695625 A1 8 / 2006 ( 86 ) PCT No .: PCT/ US2014 / 064042 EP 1884160 A1 2 / 2008 GB 2255018 A 10 / 1992 $ 371 (c ) ( 1 ) , WO 95 / 10597 AL 4 / 1995 May 5 , 2016 WO 02 / 087344 Al 11 / 2002 ( 2 ) Date : wo 2008 /062413 A2 5 / 2008 WO 2008 /065413 AL 6 / 2008 ( 87 ) PCT Pub . No .: W02015 / 069708 WO WO 2011032892 A1 * 3 / 2011 .. .. .. .. AOIN 31/ 02 PCT Pub . Date : May 14 , 2015 WO 2011 /099022 AL 8 / 2011 (65 ) Prior Publication Data OTHER PUBLICATIONS Zimmerman 1993 ( The Entomopathogenic Fungus Metarhizium US 2016 /0270407 A1 Sep . 22 , 2016 anisopliae and its potential as a Biocontrol Agent; Pestic . Sci. 37 : 375 - 379 ) . * Nematodes: Alternative Controls ( 2006 ) by Martine Guerena ; an Related U . S . Application Data ATTRA publication ; pp . 1 - 20 ( Year : 2006 ) * ( 60 ) Provisional application No . 61/ 901, 880 , filed on Nov . Ngakou et al, 2008, Crop Protect 27 ( 3 - 5 ), 481 -488 . 8 , 2013 . * cited by examiner (51 ) Int . Ci. Primary Examiner — Mary Maille Lyons A01N 63 / 04 ( 2006 . 01 ) ( 74 ) Attorney , Agent, or Firm — Todd Sladek AOIN 25 / 30 ( 2006 .01 ) (57 ) ABSTRACT (52 ) U . S . CI. Disclosed herein are pest controlling compositions ( i . e . , CPC . .. .. .. .. A01N 63 /04 (2013 .01 ) ; AOIN 25 / 30 biopesticides ) comprising one or more entomopathogenic ( 2013 .01 ) ; YO2A 50 /356 ( 2018 .01 ) fungi which . Further disclosed are methods of using such ( 58 ) Field of Classification Search compositions for controlling invasive pests , particularly None agriculturally relevant pests . See application file for complete search history. 9 Claims, No Drawings US 10 , 383 , 339 B2 COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR GB Patent No .: 2 , 255, 018 discloses entomopathogenic TREATING PESTS sprays and methods of controlling insects . U . S . Patent Application Publication No .: 2012 / 0039976 CROSS - REFERENCE TO RELATED discloses utilizing extracts of the pre - sporulation (pre APPLICATIONS 5 conidia ) mycelia stage of entomopathogenic fungi as insect and arthropod attractants and /or pathogens . This application is a National Stage of International Published PCT Patent Application No. : WO 95 / 10597 discloses entomopathogenic formulations that include Application No . PCT /US2014 / 064042 , filed Nov. 5 , 2014 conidia of an entomopathogenic fungus and a carrier . Meth which claims priority to U . S . Provisional Application No . 10 ods of killing insects such as grasshoppers using the dis 61/ 901, 880 , filed Nov . 8 , 2013 . closed formulations are described . Published PCT Patent Application No . : WO 08 /065413 FIELD OF THE INVENTION discloses formulations of entomopathogenic fungi for insect control. Disclosed herein are insect control compositions compris 15 U . S . Pat. No. 5 , 888 , 989 discloses insecticidal and acari ing entomopathogenic fungi , and methods of using such cidal compositions of silafluofen and at least one ento compositions for controlling crop damaging pests in agri mopathogenic fungus , such as , for example , Beauveria cultural environments . bassiana . U . S . Pat. No . 5 ,512 , 280 discloses maintenance and long BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 20 term stabilization of fungal conidia using surfactants . EP Patent Application Publication No. : 1 , 884 , 160 dis Pests , such as insects , Acari (mites and ticks ) and nema- closes biopesticide compositions comprising fungal spores todes, are a major problem for the agriculture industry , pathogenic for tics , tween , and paraffin oil. limiting productivity , often significantly . Although chemical U . S . Patent Application Publication No. : 2010 /0112060 pesticides are used to control pests , excessive use of chemi- 25 describes insecticidal compositions comprising spores of cal pesticides leaves residues in soil, water and air and also entomopathogenic fungi suspended in oil in water emulsions has adverse effects on the non - target organisms and the comprising fatty acid salts , polyhydric alcohols , and addi ecological balance . In addition , pests can develop resistance tional emulsifiers . The publication further describes methods to chemical pesticides , limiting their effectiveness and appli for using the compositions for preventing and controlling cation . Public concern over potential health hazards of 30 insect infestation in animals and natural areas — in particular , chemical pesticides and the increase in cost of chemical tick infestations are disclosed . pesticides has also led to the exploration of more eco - German Patent Application Publication No . : DE friendly pest management tactics . 19707178 discloses insecticidal or acaricidal compositions . Biopesticides have been developed for use as an alterna - Published PCT Patent Application No .: WO 11/ 099022 tive , or in some cases as a supplement, to chemical pesti - 35 discloses compositions and methods of preparing the com cides . Biopesticides are living organisms ( e . g ., fungi and position and methods for preparing fungal based products bacteria ) that intervene in the life cycle of pests (by killing from innovative combination of dormant spore of naturally or disabling the pest ) . Examples of biopesticides include the occurring Metarhizium anisopliae , Beauveria bassiana and entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae , which Verticillium lecanii fungus with enzymes , fats and growth has been registered as a bio - insecticide for the control of 40 promoting molecules. Uses for controlling pests like aphids, insect pests in the United States and many other countries. whitefly, thrips , mite , jassids, Mealybug , and caterpillars and Metarhizium anisopliae has been reported to infect many as well as soil borne insects like white grub , termite and insect types including subterranean termites ( Reticulitermes alike are also disclosed . and Coptotermes spp . ) , corn rootworms (Diabrotica spp ) , U . S . Pat. No . 5 , 413, 784 describes a novel and useful black vine weevils ( Otiorhynchus sulcatus ) , citrus root wee - 45 biopesticides with activity against insect pests such as boll vils (Diaprepes abbreviatus ), Japanese beetles ( Popillia weevil , sweet potato whitefly , and cotton fleahopper. The japonica ), and European chafers ( Rhizotrogus majalis ) . biopesticides comprises an entomopathogenic fungus hav As natural agents , biopesticides offer more eco - friendly ing virulence against targets insect pests . A preferred fungus solutions for controlling pests and /or for use in combination is Beauveria bassiana ATCC -7040 . with chemical pesticide . However, drawbacks of using 50 U . S . Pat. No . 5 , 939 , 065 describes an entomopathogenic biopesticides include effective delivery to area to be treated fungus having virulence against insects of the grasshopper and the potential phytotoxic effects of formulations on crops family . The fungus is a strain of Beauveria bassiana and plants . Often biopesticides can clog nozzles on delivery specificially B . bassiana BbGHA1991, ATTC 72450 . devices and /or adhere to the inner surfaces of a delivery tank U . S . Pat. No . 5 ,516 ,513 describes an agricultural formu (often referred to as " staining ” ) because some biopesticides 55 lation of a virulent isolate of Beauveria bassiana , which has ( e . g . ,Metarhizium spp . ) are insoluble hydrophobic particles . the characteristics of B . bassiana ATCC 74040 , can be used Solutions have been to include surfactants in biopesticides to effectively control lepidopterous insects . This fungal formulations ; however , many surfactants have been found to strain has been found to be active against the egg stage of have phytotoxic effects on plants — including those of major lepidopterans. Activity against the larval stages of lepi agricultural importance . 60 dopterans is also shown . An important need exists for biopesticides formulations U . S . Pat. No . 7 , 241, 612 describes a biopesticidal compo which have low phytotoxic effects on plants and are effi - sition for controlling insects ( e . g . , pecan weevils , the ciently delivered and do not clog nozzles or adhere to the diaprepes root weevil, fall armyworm , fire ants ) , containing inner surfaces of delivery devices when being applied . an agriculturally acceptable carrier and an effective insect EP Patent No . : 0406103 discloses pesticidal compositions 65 ( e . g ., pecan weevils , the diaprepes