Selective nutrients or amendments as formulations or adjuvants will be evaluated to improve biocontrol agent performance. Processing equipment and conditions for sizing, mixing, drying, encapsulating, and granulating microbial biopesticide formulations will be tested with the ultimate goal of producing a microbial biocontrol agent in a form suitable for use against the target pest. Support matrices to be evaluated during drying will include various diatomaceous earths, clays, and vermiculites. Appropriate support matrices and drying processes will be evaluated for the stabilization of the microbial control agent. We will evaluate the impact of culture harvest techniques, stabilization processes, and formulation ingredients on the physical characteristics, biological activity, storage stability, and field efficacy of selected biocontrol agents. Formulation-based solutions to critical problems related to biocontrol agent stability, efficacy, and application will be addressed using a multifaceted research approach.
#Biocontrol agents products trial
Production and stabilization processes for promising fungal biocontrol agents will be scaled from shake-flask studies to fermentation systems as large as 100 liters depending on field trial requirements and on commercial interest. In addition to nutritional parameters, environmental conditions during culture growth will be evaluated and optimized. Nutritional environments that promote the rapid development (short fermentation times) of stable fungal propagules with adequate shelf-life, and consistent biocontrol efficacy will be optimized by identifying critical nutritional components in the composition of the liquid fermentation medium. Insect or weed biocontrol assays of our fermentation products will be performed in collaboration with plant or insect pathologists. Assays will be performed in our laboratory to evaluate propagule ¿fitness¿ include microscopic evaluation for propagule form, measurement of the rate of biomass accumulation and propagule formation, propagule survival after drying, and propagule viability following formulation and storage. Propagule form, yield, storage stability, and biocontrol efficacy are critical ¿fitness¿ factors that must be considered during medium optimization since all are required if the biocontrol agent is to become a commercial product. Project Methods Our approach to the development of production methods for fungal biocontrol agents will focus on the use of deep-tank, liquid fermentation techniques.