The ability to control insects and pests with sprays that aren’t harmful to your health may soon become a reality.

Donald Beitz, distinguished professor of animal science and of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, said it started with a bouncing boiled egg. The egg was from a chicken that had received conjugated linoleic acid, a naturally occurring biological control agent, in its diet.

Beitz said he thought if the same process was performed on insects, their eggs could be infertile as well.

During the past couple years, Beitz worked with Joel Coats, professor of entomology, and Lindsey Gereszek, graduate student in biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology and graduate research assistant in entomology, on how to control the population of European corn borers. The bores are a common pest to farmers across the Midwest, and with a diet of 0.6 percent CLA, the results showed only a 3 percent survival rate.

“It takes a few days to take effect. A few survive to the pupal and even fewer after that,” Gereszek said.

Unlike current pesticides, CLA doesn’t kill immediately. “You have to wait a while for this one to work,” said Beitz. “But it is completely safe and nonhazardous to both humans and wildlife.”

The ISU Research Foundation has filed for a patent on the CLA process and is now waiting for approval.

Juanita Lovejoy, associate director of the Office of Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer, said once approved, the foundation can earn money from corporations that wish to sponsor more research or in licensing the property.

The investments can then pay for fees, royalties to the inventors, and for more research and equipment.

Coats said it could be about two years before the first pest control products hit the market. These first products would likely be bait for gardens and homes.

All three researchers agreed more tests needed to be done to examine any negative effects that may occur in the long run and to learn if the process can be used against other pests such as cut worms, mosquitoes and ants.

“It opens an entire new mode of actions for insecticides,” Gereszek said. “It’s an exciting new direction.”

Both Beitz and Coats expressed interest in continuing research.

“It’s a lead and it looks very positive,” Coats said.

“It should generate a lot of further research in a new field of chemistry.”