SBIR-STTR Award

Large quantities of chemical pesticides are used to control plan diseases, rasing environmental and health concerns. Biological fungicides are needed as alternatives to chemical pesticides, especially for crops receiving heavy chemical applications. However, biofungicides require special formulation to be consistently effective, affordable and compatible with standard practices. We are developing spray formulations of biofungicide for control of fruit and foliar diseases, but formulation development is needed. Fruit and turf diseases are important targets for biocontrol. For grapes, over $100 million is spent annually for dicarboximide fungicides for Botrytis control, and resistance is developing. Golf courses receive over $90 million in fungicides in the U. S. alone, exposing the general public to potentially anti-androgenic fungicides and contaminating surrounding surface waters. Our biofungicides have been effective in the field, but control is inconsistent due to inadequate formulation adjuvants and incompatibility with chemical residues in spray equipment. The proposed work will test formulation adjuvants as nutritive spreader/stickers, which have been shown to be critically important. Also, dose ranging, compatibility with chemicals, and spray tank decontamination procedures will be tested. A production facility has been build; the proposed work will finalize product development in preparation for commercial product introduction.

Biological control, especially with beneficial fungi in the genus trichoderma, is poised to become a major component of plant pest management strategies. These beneficial fungi, unlike chemical pesticides, can provide season-long protection against root diseases, are nontoxic to plants or vertebrates, and are unlikely to pollute soil or water. Phase I research demonstrated that useful products based on this fungi can be produced; however, serious impediments to large-scale production remain. The objectives of the proposed Phase II research are designed to overcome these difficulties and are as follows: 1. Optimize matric phase production to determine or obtain A. The relationship of water potential in the production matrix to product quality, especially shelf life. B. Increase active propagules in the matric phase process by adjustments of matrix during growth, and nutrient levels and inert substrates. C. Determine the influence of light on biomass yield and quality. D. Determine effective drying parameters. 2. Determine the influence of physical processing on propagule integrity, to determine the best methods of post-production handling. 3. Obtain equipment and optimize processes for in-house sterilization, blending, inoculating and handling matric phase media for commercial production.Applications:Methods for large-scale and cost-effective production of highly effective biocontrol fungi largely are unavailable. The proposed research is designed to solve remaining technical problems in production of products based on t. Harzianum. Once these problems are solved, biowork's products will be available for numerous applications in plant pest management. The proposed research will provide technical solutions impeding full-scale commercial development of t. Harzianum, and provide a model for development of production methodologies of other beneficial fungi. As a consequence, chemical pesticide usage will be reduced by the availability of environmentally-friendly biological alternatives.