Application of minor cannabinoids with insecticidal activity for sustainable pest control

In the recent years the Gutensohn lab at West Virginia University has studied the cannabinoid metabolic network in industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa) and its response to insect herbivory. We found that in particular the formation of a number of minor cannabinoids was increased upon herbivory by beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua) larvae. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that this increase in metabolite levels correlates with an increased expression of genes encoding key enzymes of the cannabinoid biosynthetic pathway. Individual cannabinoids were tested for insecticidal activity through insect feeding assays with artificial diet containing pure cannabinoid compounds. These bioassays demonstrated that the gain in body mass and survival rate of beet armyworm larvae were significantly affected by a subset of minor cannabinoids. Subsequent feeding assays with different hemp accessions showed that leaf tissue consumption by beet armyworm larvae negatively correlated with the content of respective minor cannabinoids. Our results clearly indicate that these minor cannabinoids have insecticidal activity. This now provides the opportunity to utilize these compounds for the development of novel pest control strategies. Towards this goal we want to focus our research efforts on three major aspects: i) test the insecticidal activity of minor cannabinoids with other crop pests, ii) study the mode of action of minor cannabinoids in insects, iii) characterize the biosynthetic pathway of minor cannabinoids to enable economic production of respective compounds. In this context we are looking for collaborations and potential funding with partners in the agricultural industry that are interested in developing minor cannabinoids into novel compounds for sustainable control of crop pests.