Fungal Research Could Improve Bio-Insecticides
4 September 2008 ARS’ method of culturing the beneficial fungus Metarhizium anisopliae so that it produces billions of tightly bundled cells, or “microsclerotia,” could be used to develop new bio-insecticide formulations. Up until 2004, Metarhizium wasn’t known to produce the microsclerotia; it was thought that these sturdy cells could only be produced by plant disease fungi.
Metarhizium – which infects and kills only certain insect hosts, and is not harmful to people, pets, or livestock – has been formulated by bio-insecticide manufacturers for over a decade with conidia or other spore forms, reports ARS. Research is showing that use of microsclerotia instead of conidia can cut costs and time and can significantly improve its shelf life and pest-fighting performance. Microsclerotia can also be formulated into granules and sized more easily than other spore forms, making it more compatible with seed planters and pesticide granulate applicators.
More information can be found at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/sep08/fungus0908.htm.
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