Biopesticide Application: Theory, Practice and Problems

Dr Minshad Ansari Founder & CEO, Bionema Outline

• Introduction • Formulations • Application technology • Summary Who We are

• Bionema is a leading technology development company, specialising in chemical-free, organic crop protection • We are: ➢ Developing novel formulations and delivery system – sector specific ➢ Identification & commercialisation of new strains of pathogenic fungi (microbials) ➢ Increasing efficacy of existing or new products ➢ Transfer of technology and knowledge Developing solutions for

Vine weevil Thrips-WFT Whiteflies Spider mites Aphids Pine weevil Horticultural Soft fruits- Tomatoes Many crops Cotton, Forest crops Strawberry Peppers caused > £6b glasshouse, pests caused >£4b Tomatoes, damage > £6b potato, the caused Peppers, green peach >£3b Cucumbers and tobacco etc. caused > £7b damage > £7b

Total damage causedAll contents by © copyrightthese 2016 pests Bionema - Limited£33 billion worldwide The problems

• Chemical pesticides used to kill insect pests or disease • >4.0 million tons of pesticides used annually • Indiscriminate use Pesticide + (total) – (%) 1990-2016 @Garynaylorphotograph HORIZON, AHDB 2017

HORIZON, AHDB 2017 Conventional pesticide formulations: Low efficiency

Source: doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.7b02004 Downsize of pesticides increases bioavailability and efficiency

Source: doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.7b02004 Nano formulations: water- based dispersion pesticides

Source: doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.7b02004 Biopesticide market development

• There has been significant growth in the number of biological products approved for use in the UK 50 products active ingredients 40

30

20

10 No. of registered products registered ofNo. 0 2006 2009 2012 2015 2018

Source: HSE The Pesticide Register Database (Accessed Nov. 2018) Issues with current formulations & applications

• Limited formulations • Poor adhesion and coverage • Application technology • Lack of application knowledge in sector specific • Compatibility- combination with other products Formulation types Commercial biopesticide formulation products

Beauveria bassiana (Certis) Burkholderia spp. strain A396 (Marrone Bio Innovations)

Beauveria bassiana Strain Helicoverpa zea NPV Bacillus mycoides Bt kurstaki (Certis) Bt kurstaki 54% (Valent Metarhizium anisopliae Beauveria bassiana (strain GHA (LAM International Co) (Certis) (Certis) BioSciences Corp) (Novozymes) ATCC 74040) (Intrachem Production S.r.l)

Plant origin caboxylic acid Paecilomyces fumosoroseus Lecanicillium lecanii Ve6 (19-79) Micronized powder - Trichoderma Tee tree oil and Terpene-based Calcified hydrophobic extract Garlic extract 99.9% potassium salts 47.9% EW (Certis) (Koppert BV) atroviride (Italpollina) difenoconazole fungicide (Eden of neem oil 70% (Certis) (Ecospray Ltd) (AlphaBio Control) (STK bio-ag) Research plc) Nematode products Formulation types

Entostat is a non-hygroscopic, electrostatically charged micro-powder based on carnauba wax blend. It is formulated to encapsulate synthetic or biological active ingredients offering release retardation or to support a.i. for control of crawling Conidia of Beauveria bassiana adhering to insects of stored grain commodities. a spherical particle of Entostat powder Formulation types

As particle dries, pores close and trap remaining a.i.

Payload release on contact with water

SustaineTM (a.i. terpenes-based bioactive Encapsulated payload products from plant extracts stabilised aqueous emulsion

AttraCap® contains an attractant

CO2 and Metarhizium brunneum for wireworm (Agriotes spp.) control Delivery problems

• Issues with application* ➢ High volume (run-0ff; takes long time) ➢ Change nozzle, tank cleaning, calibrate sprayer, better sprayers available • Effective dose - how much product do you want on the plant, where and when?* ➢ Biopesticides - preventive or parasitic? Timing is critical ➢ Biopesticide efficacy links to pest population growth rate and size ➢ Lack of training

* New knowledge needed Spray/Aerosol generation and characterization

Force?

Natural aerosols: fog, dust, forest exudates & geyser steam

Source: Silsoe Spray Applications Unit Ltd Variable cone nozzles: designing in bad practice? • Where do particles go? • Concentration of particles in suspension, e.g. conidia/litre) • Droplet size spectrum • Size of particles - will they fit into a droplet? Source: Roy Bateman & AC Chapple, Bayer CropScience, 2015

Output from 3 variable cone nozzles Deposit problems

• Maximum area covered for steel - 600 L/ha • Perfect flat, uniform target • Any additives (spreaders, wetters, co-formulants) will reduce the volume for maximum area covered 960 L/ha • The waxier the leaf, the less liquid will be retained, particularly if not horizontal

240 L/ha Source: Silsoe Spray Applications Unit Ltd Spray behaviour

• The behaviour of a sprayed liquid on a surface is very important in determining the performance of the applied biological products • Characterisation of the spray deposit on a surface includes ➢ Droplet spreading, ➢ Area of surface covered ➢ Distribution of spray over a crop canopy in order to assess the performance

Source: Silsoe Spray Applications Unit Ltd Summary

• Robust formulations and delivery system o Soil application o Foliar application • Sector specific o Horticulture o Turf and amenity and o Forestry • Training in the use of biopesticides Thank you

Bionema Limited, Institute of Life Science 1, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK Tel: 01792 606916 / 07936450606 Email: [email protected] Gold Sponsors

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