Technological inovation in the Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis biological insecticide formulation

• Grant number: 06/06706-9
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: February 01, 2008
• End date: July 31, 2008
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Regina de Oliveira Moraes Arruda
• Grantee: Regina de Oliveira Moraes Arruda
• Company: Probiom Tecnologia Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Experimental em Ciências Físicas e Naturais
• City: Campinas

Abstract

Bacillus thurigiensis is an excellent object to be studied because it producces some toxins that are commercially important. Its insecticidal activity is evaluated by its specificity against insect-pests, production costs and environmental compatibility. The USA has the major market for bioinsecticides represented by 60% and rough 80% of this are Bt products. Their spores are highly resistant that is a high potential to biological control, due to the characteristics against environmental adverse conditions and of the industrial processing. The need of biological control arise because the new vectors, the increasing agricultural frontiers, increasing in food demand, and the insect resistance to chemical insecticides. The imported Bt isralensis is being used against Culex, Anopheles e Aedes. Entomopathogenic agents can be used with or without purification, after fermentation processes, but this form do not permit homogeneous distribution, so it is necessaire to formulate the product with the use of adjuvants, that give then better conditions for application, storage and minimal lost of quality. The formulation can attend the insect behavior and their local development conditions. The application of the product is on water surface, so flutuability is an essential factor in the formulated bioproduct. In this project the Probiom goal is to get a biological insecticide formulated, with good standing in water surface and an extended half life. Brazil doesn?t have this technology and the Health Ministry imported this type of product from the USA. Probiom, with its technical staff of three PhD in Fermentation Technology will do this process development that is an innovation process and will permit the substitution of the imported product. (AU)