1. Norman C. Leppla & Jennifer L. Gillett A 30-Year Effort to Develop the Mole Cricket Nematode Product, Nematac S the Mole Cricket Nematode Product, Nematac S Eda Reinot

2. Mole Cricket Damage

3.  Mole cricket damage and chemical control cost ~ $100 million annually in the S.E. United States.  Chemicals are too expensive for use on pasture land.  Mole crickets rebound in most treated areas.  Concern about non-target effects of chemicals. Chemical Control

4. Mole Cricket State Program Objective: To conduct research and demonstration projects that will widely distribute the entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema scapterisci, in Florida; determine its establishment, rate of spread and impact on Scapteriscus spp. mole crickets; and support its commercialization.

5. Bayh-Dole Act of 1980  Created more than 260 university TLOs  Connected academic research to the nation’s innovation and R&D capacity  Provided a strong incentive for industry- university research collaborations and industrial investment

6. Bridges the gap between science and products! Technology Licensing

7. Benefits of Technology Licensing  Protects venture capitalists  Moves discoveries to market  Forms industrial partnerships  Attracts research funding  Places graduates in rewarding jobs  Earns royalty income

8.  Rearing and handling equipment  Materials for manipulating organisms  Diets and processing chemicals  Rearing and application methods  Specific uses for natural enemies  New organisms Commercial Biological Control

9. Technology Transfer for Publicly-Funded Biological Control Products Market Analysis Product Development Entrepreneur/ Company Customers Financing Feasibility Study Product Development Government Institution Client Group Appropriation Market Analysis Product Development License for Commercial Product Entrepreneur/ Company Customers Financing Public Domain Patented

10. In vitro Nematode Production

11. Application of Nematodes

12. Seasonal Distribution of Mole Cricket Stages

13. Biological Control of Mole Crickets in Florida by the Nematode Mean Number of Mole Crickets Trapped

14. Nematode Applications  Nematac S- 2001 & 2002  80 billion nematodes  32 counties  Education & training  Nematode diagnostics  Nematode survey  Refined methods  Establish & spread

15. Pasture Evaluations

16. Mole Cricket Nematode in Florida  6 months- 80% mole crickets infected  1 year- infected mole crickets spread nematodes across the pasture  3 years- 85% decline in mole crickets85% decline in mole crickets 40-95% recovery of bahiagrass40-95% recovery of bahiagrass 20-35% infected mole crickets20-35% infected mole crickets

17. Pasture condition in 2002 2 yr after nematode application ~ 95% grass canopy ground cover

18. Pasture and Sod Farms UAP Florida UAP Florida Helena Helena ProSource One ProSource One Diamond R Fertilizer Diamond R Fertilizer Lykes AgriSales Lykes AgriSales Ben Hill Griffin Fertilizer Ben Hill Griffin Fertilizer Golf Courses and Athletic Fields Golf Ventures Golf Ventures ProSource One ProSource One UHS UHS Lesco LescoHomeowners Gardens Alive Gardens Alive Suppliers of Nematac S

19. Do You Need Mole Cricket Nematodes?  Do you have significant mole cricket problems in your pastures? Yes  Would you use Nematac S with technical assistance from Becker Underwood and UF/IFAS? Yes  Are you willing to pay up to $50 per acre for both the product and application? No  Would you prefer to pay $25 per acre and borrow the application equipment from the Florida Cattlemen’s Association? Yes

20. Potential Actions to Increase Sales of Nematac S  Re-establish commercial application of the nematode.  Keep the cost to $25 - $50 per acre, perhaps by providing access to application equipment.  Provide customer service by applicator or supplier to assure that the nematodes are used effectively.  Increase Extension/Becker Underwood activities to promote Nematac S, especially field demonstrations.  Establish a mechanism to anticipate seasonal orders for Nematac S, e.g.,damage thresholds.

21. http://ipm.ifas.ufl.edu