Project Number: 3620-22410-008-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Dec 04, 2003
End Date: Aug 31, 2005

Objective:
To develop technology for the selection, production, and stabilization of living microbial agents for use as biopesticides and probiotic feed additives.

Approach:
Our strategy for optimizing nutritional conditions for the production of microbial biocontrol agents in submerged culture is based on developing a medium which maximizes not only propagule yield, but also propagule fitness as a biocontrol agent. Nutritional environments which promote rapid microbial growth, high cell yields, stable propagules, and efficacious products will be developed by optimizing the composition of the liquid fermentation medium. Stabilization methods for microbial biopesticides or probiotic feed additives will be developed which lead to substantial product shelf-life. Air and freeze-drying conditions, such as drying temperature, rate of drying, and product moisture content will be optimized for maximum propagule survival and shelf-life. We have identified several antagonists of head scab of wheat (HSW) which significantly reduced disease severity in wheat kernels. Promising HSW antagonists will be screened for amenability to liquid culture production and biocontrol efficacy.