ARS is patenting the volatiles, which may also help control southern pine beetles, a forest pest, and beet armyworms, a crop pest. Pests such as whiteflies like to hide on the bottom surface of crop leaves, where it's difficult for sprays to reach. Researchers developed the device, the dual-sided leaf washer, to quickly determine in the field whether pesticides are going where they're needed. A plant leaf is clamped between two heavy plastic discs and solvent is squirted through plastic tubes onto either side of the leaf. The scientists can measure the amount of pesticide on each side of the leaf.
Users can collect samples at a rate of one leaf per minute.
The device will work on any leaf with a diameter of at least two inches, such as cotton, cantaloupe, cucumbers, corn and eggplant. Aflatoxins are natural toxins that can be carcinogenic to humans and animals. All three strongly inhibited the accumulation of all aflatoxins without affecting fungal growth. PCBA had the greatest effect. Pyroquilon and fthalide already are used to prevent rice blast disease, caused by a different fungus.