Crab Shell Chitosan as a Pesticide Sticker and Immune Response Activator
Lee A. Hadwiger, Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University
R/B-44
Chitin is a natural material found in crab and shrimp shells. At one time, crab shells were regarded as waste and, through indiscriminate disposal, a source of pollution. The pollution problem has diminished since the discovery of commercial uses for chitin’s main by-product, chitosan. Prior Sea Grant-funded research has demonstrated the ability of chitosan to inhibit the development of blight in potatoes by suppressing the activity of one potato gene. Now, the investigator is working with a manufacturer of chitosan and various pesticide industries currently manufacturing agriculture chemicals to define additional uses of chitosan as a pesticide "sticker.”
For more information, please contact Lee Hadwiger, chitosan@mail.wsu.edu.