Apr 21 2010
Sutterlin Technologies, a new company based at The University of Alabama (UA), is using its patent-pending biodegradable technology to eliminate the brown codling moth, an insect, from farms in an environmentally friendly manner.
The CEO and founder of Sutterlin Technologies Rusty Sutterlin commented that the company intends to use the technology in apple farms for eliminating the insects. Even as Sutterlin Technologies plans to enter field trials, the company received a boost on April 16 after winning $25,000 in Alabama Launchpad, a business competition.
The company’s new technology helps reduce the insect population by hindering the mating patterns of the insect by the usage of insect pheromones. This new biodegradable approach of the company focuses on the usage of pectin, a naturally occurring complex carbohydrate found in fruits such as apples. Pectin is environmentally friendly as it eventually degrades in the farm without causing any harm.
The pheromone encapsulated in pectin can be mixed with water and sprayed on the fields. This process helps prevent the mating of the moths. Unlike conventional insecticides, this process does not kill insects and does not pose any environmental risks.
Sutterlin Technologies has laboratory and office space in the Alabama Innovation and Mentoring of Entrepreneurs (AIME) Building of UA. Bama Technology Incubator of UA nurtures high-tech, high-growth start-up companies into potentially profitable companies.
The new technology was licensed to Sutterlin Technologies by the Office for Technology Transfer of UA. The new technology was created by AIME research scientist Scott Spear and his team.
Source: http://www.ua.edu/