Clay Nation?

Researchers from the USDA Agricultural Research Service and Engelhard Corporation of Iselin, New Jersey, have developed crop protectants that could reduce the amount of pesticides used by farmers by 50% or more. The protectants use specially processed kaolin, a white clay, and are applied to the surface of plants to form a film barrier against more than a dozen species of insects and mites, including pear psyllas and glassy-winged sharpshooters. The products also serve as a reflective coating, reducing plant sunburn and heat stress.

According to coinventor Gary Puterka, the products have the potential to work against almost any insect under the proper conditions. Entomologists are working to adjust application parameters to avoid disrupting beneficial insects that are helpful in biological control. The products' ingredients have few mammalian toxicity effects, pose minimal environmental risks, and are exempt from EPA residue tolerance requirements.