Diacetylverrucarol
Encyclopedia
Diacetylverrucarol is a natural trichothecene
Trichothecene
Trichothecenes are a very large family of chemically related mycotoxins produced by various species of Fusarium, Myrothecium, Trichoderma, Trichothecium, Cephalosporium, Verticimonosporium, and Stachybotrys...

 produced by the fungus Myrothecium verrucaria
Myrothecium verrucaria
Myrothecium verrucaria is a plant pathogen. It is common throughout the world, often found on materials such as paper, textiles, canvas and cotton. It is a highly potent cellulose decomposer....

. Chemically, it is an acetate
Acetate
An acetate is a derivative of acetic acid. This term includes salts and esters, as well as the anion found in solution. Most of the approximately 5 billion kilograms of acetic acid produced annually in industry are used in the production of acetates, which usually take the form of polymers. In...

 derivative of verrucarol.

Herbicide use

Trichothecenes have been found to cause growth retardation, wilting, chlorosis, and necrosis
Necrosis
Necrosis is the premature death of cells in living tissue. Necrosis is caused by factors external to the cell or tissue, such as infection, toxins, or trauma. This is in contrast to apoptosis, which is a naturally occurring cause of cellular death...

 in some plants.
It can work in poor conditions, even where there is very little or no moisture. Diacetylverrucarol is undergoing study for its successful effects at reducing or killing the kudzu
Kudzu
Kudzu is a plant in the genus Pueraria in the pea family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. It is a climbing, coiling, and trailing vine native to southern Japan and southeast China. Its name comes from the Japanese name for the plant, . It is a weed that climbs over trees or shrubs and grows so...

 weed. It is prepared through liquid fermentation of Myrothecium verrucaria mycelium
Mycelium
thumb|right|Fungal myceliaMycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus, consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae. The mass of hyphae is sometimes called shiro, especially within the fairy ring fungi. Fungal colonies composed of mycelia are found in soil and on or within many other...

after which it can be used as a pesticide. This causes very little harm to the plants that the kudzu plant displaces. Results appeared within 24 hours and the kudzu plant's roots were diseased after 14 days. In greenhouse experiments the fungus killed 100 percent of the kudzu seeds, and, in outdoor trials, 90-100 percent of older plants. The fungus is undergoing study to reduce the diacetylverrucarol presence to reduce side effects.

Because it is a trichothecene, it has significant toxicity. If swallowed by humans, the initial symptoms are general discomfort, dry eyes, and drowsiness. If a larger dose is consumed, symptoms of a hemorrhagic fever will occur, as well as mental impairment. Other animals are susceptible as well, and can experience growth retardation, reproductive disorders, and vomiting if the substance is consumed.
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