Author
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Schisler, David |
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Submitted to: National Fusarium Head Blight Forum
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 12/13/2005 Publication Date: 12/11/2005 Citation: Schisler, D.A. 2005. Fermentaton and formulation: Crucial focus areas for expediting the development of biocontrol products. National Fusarium Head Blight Forum Proceedings. p. 231. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Developing an effective, commercially successful biological control product is a complex, labor-intensive undertaking. The process must begin with a carefully crafted microbial selection procedure, proceed by employing biomass production protocols that optimize product quantity and quality, and end with devising a product formulation that preserves shelf-life, aids product delivery, and enhances bioactivity. Selection procedures that require prospective microbial biocontrol agents to possess both efficacy and amenability to production in liquid culture enhance the likelihood of selecting agents with improved commercial development potential. Scale-up of biomass production procedures must optimize product yield without compromise of product efficacy and amenability to stabilization and formulation. Considerations critical to designing successful formulations of microbial biomass are many fold and include designing production processes that enhance biomass amenability to formulation; an awareness of the mode of action of the microbial agent; durability of the life-stage to be formulated; the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics present on the application target; and the equipment used for field application. Solutions to these formulation considerations will not necessarily be compatible. Data from several systems for biologically controlling plant pests, with emphasis on the biological control of Fusarium head blight of wheat, will be used to demonstrate many of these concepts. |
