Indiscriminate use of chemical insecticides in the agricultural practices is polluting the environment affecting the quality of human/animal life. Insecticides also adversely affect the natural enemies of the insect pests and give rise to many pesticide resistant insect species. Hence eco-friendly approaches for pest management are desirable. Biopesticides based on Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are viable alternatives to chemical insecticides and are widely used.

ADVANTAGES OF Bt BASED BIOPESTICIDE

• It is fast acting, easy to produce at lower cost, amenable to formulation, non-toxic to beneficial insects like honey bees and human and has long shelf life.
• Active against 12 different agriculturally important insect species.
• Formulations is stable upto two years.
• Non-toxic to non target species and beneficial insects.
• Safe to humans and mammals.
• Environment friendly, non-polluting.
• Safe for handling by agriculture workers and farmers.

APPLICATIONS

• Wettable powder formulations can be sprayed on agriculture crops infested with lepidopteran and dipteran insect pests.
• Can be applied using general knapsack sprayers.

Indiscriminate use of chemical insecticides in the agricultural practices is polluting the environment affecting the quality of human/animal life. Insecticides also adversely affect the natural enemies of the insect pests and give rise to many pesticide resistant insect species. Hence eco-friendly approaches for pest management are desirable. Biopesticides based on Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are viable alternatives to chemical insecticides and are widely used.

The advantages of Bt is it is fast acting, easy to produce at lower cost, amenable to formulation, non-toxic to beneficial insects like honey bees and human and has long shelf life.

HISTORY

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a naturally occurring, spore-forming soil bacterium found around the world. Bt subsp. kenyae HD-549 is isolated from the diseased Ephestia cautella larvae, a stored grain pest in BARC. Bt kenyae is active against 12 agriculturally important insect pests.

MODE OF ACTION

B. thuringiensis produces crystal proteins during sporulation. Formulation consisting spore-crystal mixture applied on crop plants, is ingested by the insects during feeding. The crystal protein is a protoxin which dissolves in the midgut of insects by gut proteases into active toxin. The active toxin forms pores in the insect midgut thereby causing cell lysis and death.

MASS MULTIPLICATION

Bt subsp. kenyae HD-549 can be easily mass multiplied using conventional fermentation process.  An economical mass multiplication media based on agro-industry byproducts has been developed for large scale production.

FORMULATION

Wettable powder (WP) formulation has been developed based on the Bt kenyae HD-549. This formulation is effective in controlling many lepidopteran and dipteran pests in the field.

SALIENT FEATURES

• Based on Indigenously/locally isolated bacterium
• High specific activity on Lepidopteran insects
• Active against 12 different insect species
• The formulation is stable for over 2 years

BENEFITS

• Safe to non target species and beneficial insects
• Safe to humans and mammals
• Environment friendly, non-polluting
• Safe for handling by agriculture workers and farmers

REQUIREMENTS

Infrastructural requirements

• A standard microbiology laboratory equipped with facility for bacterial fermentation, harvesting, drying and preparation of formulation.

Equipment Requirement

• Glassware for media preparation, Sterilization equipment like autoclave, hot air oven, Fermentor for large scale production, Centrifuge for harvesting bacterial culture, and vacuum dryer for preparation of dry powder formulation.

Manpower requirement

• One microbiologist/chemical engineer with an experience of pilot scale fermentation and quality control, two scientific assistants, one with specific training to work under aseptic laboratory conditions to prepare the pilot scale inoculums and other with the experience in downstream processing and allied ancillary staff for formulation and packaging.

Capital cost

• The capital cost for setting up a small size manufacturing plant would be approximately Rs. 30 lakh, based on calculation of costs in 2015.

Note- All statutory clearances need to be obtained by the manufacturer.