Report
Teaser, summary, work performed and final results
Periodic Reporting for period 1 - TRICHO T-18 (Environmental friendly fungicide based on new endophytic Biological Control Agent Trichoderma asperellum strain T18)
Teaser
Biocontrol has been the fastest growing segment of the global plant protection business over the last few years. Its market is estimated at about 2,3 billion $, and within biologicals, the microbial products have been the fastest growing product type segment of biocontrol...
Summary
Biocontrol has been the fastest growing segment of the global plant protection business over the last few years. Its market is estimated at about 2,3 billion $, and within biologicals, the microbial products have been the fastest growing product type segment of biocontrol today. The multinational agricultural input companies such as the Crop Protection Multinationals have shown a strong interest in the biocontrol industry with highest priority in the microbial market segment. Regulatory Authorities are committed to encouraging the development and use of low risk biological pesticides as alternatives to conventional chemical pesticides than have shown to have a high toxicity.
Main objective of TRICHO T-18 Project is to develop a feasibility study in order to obtain and produce a biological control agent (strain T18) in an industrial scale, necessary to develop a commercial product. In this sense, intensive researching work has been carried out, wich includes: Isolation and selection of Trichoderma asperellum strain T18 from soil sample and healthy host, characterization of monoconidial cultures of Trichoderma asperellum strain T18 and researching of in vitro antagonistic activity of the Trichoderma asperellum strain T18 against 17 isolates of different fungal plant pathogens. At the same time, a deep Market & Regulatory analysis has been carried out, including Key Trends Analysis, Market Dynamics, Drivers Global of Biopesticides Market and Company Profiles.
All considered, thanks to Risk Analysis, Market Study and Feasibility concept studies carried out in Phase 1, SME AMC has advanced from TRL 6 to TRL 7 and has the knowledge of technical and economic viability of the product to deal with the security challenges of the demonstration phase and testing, to continue with Phase 2-SME Instrument, develop the scaling-up process to obtain T. asperellum strain T18 based product and accelerate time to market.
Work performed
Work perfomed:
- T. asperellum strain T18 has been isolated and selected from soil sample and healthy host.
- The strain T18 monosporic culture has been obtained.
- Strain T18 characterization studies involving Morphological, Physiological, Metabolic & Molecular characterization have been performed.
- The strain was deposited at the Spanish Type Culture Collection (CECT) where CECT number 20481 was assigned.
Trichoderma asperellum strain T18 has been selected to control three soilborne fungal plant pathogens (Phytophthora capsici, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Scelrotinia minor).
Compatibility of T. asperellum strain T18 with several chemical pesticides (fungicide, insecticide and nematicide) used extensively in agriculture has been evaluated. Furthermore, possibilities of using chemical pesticides and antagonist microorganism jointly in IPM programs have been studied.
The mode of action studies “in vivo†testing the efficacy of T. asperellum strain T18 against different phytopathogens in greenhouses, field trials and growth chamber trials were conducted. A scaling up fermentation strain T18 at pilot plant in two stage process (liquid fermentation and a solid substrate for conidiation) has been committed. At the same time of developing scientific work, a deep Market & Regulatory analysis has been carried out, including Key Trends Analysis, Market Dynamics, Drivers Global of Biopesticides Market and Company Profiles
Final results
The key points that define the progress beyond de state of the art and expected potential impact are:
* Outlining of an economically feasible mass scale production process (industrial level) to obtain a stable Trichoderma product based on T. asperellum strain T18 has been commited.
* A commercial Trichoderma spp based product, with persistent stability during distribution and storage; easy handling, mixing and application of the product into the crops that gives a provine consistently effective control of target pests.
Website & more info
More info: http://www.amcchemical.com/.