Objective: USDA-ARS is seeking U.S. companies interested in doing cooperative research to develop molluscicide products using caffeine as the active ingredient. Caffeine was recently discovered to act as a toxicant and repellent for slugs and snails.

Overview: Most commercial products for slug and snail control contain either metaldehyde or methiocarb as the active ingredient, the residues of which are not permitted in food crops in the United States.

Related Technology: Researchers at the Hawaii laboratory have discovered that solutions of caffeine are effective in killing or repelling slugs and snails when applied to foliage or plants. Because caffeine is a natural product and is classified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a GRAS (generally recognized as safe) compound, it has potential as an environmentally acceptable alternative toxicant for controlling slugs and snails on food crops.

Industry Type: The ideal partner would be agricultural chemical companies and/or manufacturing companies for pest control products. The partner would assist in the research effort and take the lead in product registration and marketing.

Where: Pacific West Area; USDA, ARS, Postharvest Tropical Commodities Research Unit, U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Service, Hilo, Hawaii.

Laboratory Mission: The mission of the Postharvest Tropical Commodities Research Unit is to identify, develop, and implement environmentally acceptable strategies for management of tropical crop pests.

If your company is interested in learning more about this opportunity, contact our regional technology transfer coordinator:

Martha B. Steinbock
USDA-ARS-PWA
800 Buchanan Street
Albany, CA 94710
mbs@pw.usda.gov