Summary:

Currently, a serious problem affecting modern agriculture crop production is the prevalence of plant diseases caused by infectious agents. The most common strategy involves application of chemical or biological agents to the surface of plants. Although such agents can be effective, their effectiveness in adverse weather conditions can be significantly diminished. A second strategy involves genetically-engineering plants to produce substances toxic to plant pathogens. Genetically modifying these plants has been publicly scrutinized and hampers the popularity of this method.

Researchers at The Ohio State University have developed a method for inducing production of isoflavone levels in plants using nuclear receptor ligands. Isoflavones have been proven to be beneficial to both human and plant health. The method comprises applying a formulation having a phytologically acceptable carrier and an effective amount of a compound as a “loader” to the plant. The loader is actually a nuclear receptor ligand. This approach eliminates the use of the traditional methods that have been scrutinized in the past for negative environmental impacts.

Potential Applications:

• Crop Production
• Plant Disease control

Advantages:

• Alternative to pesticides
• Alternative to genetically modifying plants