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Caterpillar frass, better known as caterpillar poop, may be the latest organic pesticide on the block to help defend fungi and pathogens from attacking plants. <\/p>\n
Researchers from Penn State University discovered this interesting result when they realized a specific type of caterpillar was able to eat corn and get past the plant's attempts at defense<\/a>, according to FoodWorldNews. <\/p>\n On the defense<\/strong> However, a specific type of caterpillar, known as armyworms, are able to get around the plant's defenses. Specifically, when the corn begins to defend against the hungry caterpillar, it will release frass that causes the plant to believe it is being attacked by a fungus, not a caterpillar. As a result, the plant will focus mainly on defending itself from pathogens, allowing the caterpillar to munch happily without resistance. <\/p>\n Now, researchers are hoping to use this clever mechanism to their advantage. Yet the study authors do not know what is in the feces that makes corn so confused. They will test various components of their findings against one another to determine exactly what compounds trigger this reaction.<\/p>\n Finding a solution<\/strong> Not all fungi is harmful to plants and crops. However, pathogenic fungi can be detrimental to crops, slowly killing them off. This type of fungi will steal a plant's food while it is living, or attempt to kill the plant and then take its food afterward<\/a>, according to Mycolog.com. The fungus will infiltrate the crop's breathing holes, or it will insert a hole into the center of the stem. Once the fungus has gotten inside, it will poison the plant and eat the food, or take nutrients from plant cells. Sometimes these attacks can make plants very sick and cause them to wilt, and other times it can wipe out entire crop sets. Hopefully caterpillar frass will be able to change all that. <\/p>\n
\nCorn naturally recognizes when it is being eaten by an herbivore or by various types of fungi. Once the plant understands this, it will take proactive measures to fight the fungus or herbivore off. For example, if a caterpillar is munching on the plant, corn will create and release a chemical that makes the plant taste bad. When it is being attacked by specific pathogens and fungi, corn will release an enzyme that inhibits the fungus or pathogen from growing. <\/p>\n
\nHopefully, the subsequent findings will lead to new discoveries on how corn defends itself and what might prepare it better. The scientists believe that this type of frass may be able to cause specific plants to up their defenses against various pathogens. Of course, the frass could be used for plants that are not attacked by herbivores but strictly types of fungi. <\/p>\n