MicrobialInoculantsandBiochemicalFungicidesforPlantDiseaseControl

BrianMcSpaddenGardener

Feb14,2010

OEFFAWorkshop

FoodProduction…

Consumerview

…UnderAttack

Farmerview

PlantPathogensandDiseases

• Occureveryyearineveryfield– Incidenceandseverityvarieswidely– Multiplepathogensendemictoeverylocation

• Individuallossesvaryfrom<5%to100%– Mostlossesarehighlydependentonweatherconditions– Properfarmmanagementisinsuranceagainstlargelosses

• Aggregatelossesaverage15%– Developedworld<developingworld– Pricesincreasefollowingepidemics– Foodqualityandsafetyarealwaysanissue

• Applychemicalpesticides

– Convenient

– Generallyeffective

However…

– Regulatedandrestricteduses

– Mostaretoxicand/orcarcinogenictomammals

– Growingconcernsofurbanpopulation

Scale:

– >50,000metrictonsa.i.appliedannuallyinUSA

– Over$5billionsoldworldwideeveryyear

Whatcanfarmersdo?UseSyntheticToxins

• Discouragepestsandpathogens– Rotateanddiversifycrops

– Plantresistantcultivars– Managefertilityandorganicmatterwithcomposts

– Judicioususeoftillage

– Applyapprovedchemicals(i.e.somecopperproducts)

• Supplementbeneficialorganisms– Createadiversifiedhabitat/refuges

– Inoculaterhizobiaandmycorrhizae– Applybiologicalcontrolsandbiopesticides

Whatcanorganicfarmersdo?UseBiologically‐BasedPractices

Plantsare(Micro)Ecosystems

DiversityofPlant‐AssociatedMicrobes

• Diversemicrobescolonizeplanttissues

• Mostarecommensalsaprophytes

• Somearemutualiststhatimproveplantnutrition

• Afewarevirulentplantpathogens• Afewpreventinfectionsorreducetheseverityofplant

diseases

EcologicalModelDormantmicrobialpopulationsareactivatedbymoistureand

nutrientsStartingconditionsandenvironmentalparametersleadtonatural

succession.Onplants,themicrobialcommunitiesaredominatedbyeither

pathogenicorbeneficialpopulations.

LabGoal:Identify,characterize,andutilizebeneficialmicrobes.

Beneficialmicroorganisms

• Mycorrhizae– Fungusroots– Beneficialassociationbetweenmycorrhizalfungiandplantroot

– Endo‐&Ectomycorrhizae

– Improveplantnutritionandsoilstructure

EctomycorrhizaeAlberton&Kuyer,2009

Beneficialmicroorganisms• Somemycorrhizalinoculants(OMRIlisted)

TradeName ProductCategory Manufacturer

Mycorise®ASP Endomycorrhizae PremierTechBiotechnologies

MycoApply®EctoLiquidBlend

Ectomycorrhizae MycorrhizalApplications,Inc.

MycoSeed™Treat

Seedtreatment,Beneficialbacteriaandfungi

AgriEnergyResources®

Myke®ProPS3 Seedtreatment,mycorrhizae

PremierTechBiotechnologies

Beneficialmicroorganisms

• Rhizobia– Symbioticnitrogenfixerswithlegumes

– Noduleformation

– Rhizobium,Azorhizobium,BradyrhizobiumandSinorhizobium

– 50‐400kgN/ha/yronlegumes

Photocredit:JenniferDean,PennStateUniversity

Photocredit:J.Doughton

Beneficialmicroorganisms

• Associativenitrogenfixers– Colonizenearplantroots,butnonoduleformation

– Azospirillum,AzotobacterandAcetobacter

– 10‐200kgN/ha/yr

Azospirillumbacterialcellsontherootsurface

http://www.microbiologyprocedure.com

Beneficialmicroorganisms• Somerhizobialinoculants(OMRIlisted)

TradeName ProductCategory ManufacturerVault®NPLiquidLegumeInoculantforSoybeans

Rhizobia BeckerUnderwood®,Inc.

PRE‐VAIL Rhizobia INTXMicrobials,LLC

Nodulator®LiquidInoculantforPeaandLentil

Rhizobia BeckerUnderwood®,Inc.

Biopesticides1

• Microbialbiopesticides– Containlivebeneficialbacteria,fungi,oomycetes,ornematodes

– Inhibitpathogengrowththroughmultiplemechanisms• Antibiosis• Competition• Hyperparasitism• Inductionofhostresistance

UntreatedCaClUntreatedCaCl22FungicideBiocontrolFungicideBiocontrol

Biopesticides1• Somemicrobialproducts(OMRIlisted)

TradeName ProductCategory ManufacturerBiobit®HP Insecticides,

BacillusthuringiensisValentBioSciences®Corp.

MycotrolO® Insecticides,Beauveriaspp.

LaverlamInternationalCorp.

Serenade®MAX™ Fungicide,Bacillussubtilis

Agraquest,Inc.

BlightBan®A506 Bactericides,Pseudomonasfluorescens

NuFarmAmericas,Inc.

BioNem™C Biologicalcontrols,Beneficialnematodes

BeckerUnderwood®,Inc.

Biopesticides2

• Biochemicalpesticides– Containsplantextracts,microbialfermentationproducts,pheromones,and/orplanthormones

– Oftenmixedwithmineralnutrients

– Typicallyactbyantibiosis(“softorgreenchemistry”)

– Somecaninducehostresistanceorotherwiseinterferewithinfection

UntreatedCaClUntreatedCaCl22FungicideBiocontrolFungicideBiocontrol

Biopesticides2• Biochemicalpesticidesproducts(OMRIlisted)

TradeName ProductCategory ManufacturerTriact®70EC Neemoil CertisUSA

ActinoIron® Iron NaturalIndustries,Inc.

HeadsUp®PlantProtectant

Plantextracts HeadsUpPlantProtectants

Saf‐T‐Side® PetroleumOil BrandtConsolidated

TakeHomeMessages• Thereareorganic‐friendlyinputsthatcanbeusedtoenhancecrophealthanddiseasecontrol

• Manymicrobialinoculantsonthemarket,butmostlikelybenefitswillbeattributabletorhizobia,mycorrhizae,andregisteredbiopesticides

• Biochemicalextractsincludeavarietyofproductsincludingbiofertilizers,plant/seaweedextracts,andregisteredbiopesticides

• Payattentiontothelabelwhenapplyingallinputs

• Alsopayattentiontostorageinstructionsandmarkedexpirationdatesasmostproductshavealimitedshelflife

AdditionalResources• HandoutsprovidefulllistingofOMRI‐andOEFFA‐approvedbiopesticideproductsforvegetableproduction

• OhioEcologicalFoodandFarmAssociation(OEFFA)http://www.oeffa.org/– ThelistofOEFFAapprovedorganicproductcanbeobtainedbywritingtomaterialsreview@oeffa.org

• OrganicMaterialReviewInstitute(OMRI)www.omri.org

• Newfactsheetscomingin2010toOhiolinehttp://ohioline.osu.edu/search.php