CINNAMIC ACID-DERIVATIVES - NOVEL REPELLENT SEED DRESSINGS FOR THE PROTECTION OF WHEAT SEED AGAINST DAMAGE BY THE FIELD SLUG, DEROCERAS-RETICULATUM

Two non-lethal vertebrate feeding deterrents, cinnamamide and 3,5-dime thoxycinnamic acid, were tested as seed dressings for the protection o f winter wheat against damage by the field slug, Deroceras reticulatum . Both compounds were active in deterring feeding in a two-choice test . Cinnamamide was the most effective repellent, significantly reducing the damage sustained by the wheat seeds over the course of the 7 day trial. In a no-choice test, 3,5-dimethoxycinnamic acid (0.6% w/w) fail ed, but cinnamamide (0.54% w/w) continued to provide significant prote ction of the seeds for the duration of the trial. A subsequent 1-day, no-choice test demonstrated that cinnamamide could significantly reduc e seed damage at concentrations as low as 0.23% w/w and at concentrati ons of 0.54% w/w provided complete protection of the seed. Coating of wheat seeds with cinnamamide did not significantly affect the viabilit y of the wheat seeds. Our results indicate that cinnamamide has the po tential to protect a range of agricultural and horticultural plants fr om slug damage in a manner that is both effective and environmentally acceptable.