Biopesticide Alternatives for Controlling Insects and Diseases

Biopesticide Alternatives for Controlling Insects and Diseases John Francis Technical Services

OUTLINE • Biopesticides - general • Insect control strategies with biopesticides • Root disease control using biopesticides • Tank mixing biopesticides

Advantages: • Reduce use of chemicals • Extend useful life of chemicals • Resistance management • Safer to use (plants and human) • Lower REI

Advantages: (contd.) • Lower REI • Less phytotoxicity (Crop Safety) • O Day PHI; no MRL (exempt) • Some with OMRI Listing

General Limitations: • NOT a magic bullet • Require more handling • Shelf life – generally shorter vs. chem. • Work slowly • Must be used early • Higher rates do not = more kill

The Chemical Paradigm • Need to change your mindset • Biopesticides are NOT chemicals • Do not expect to use them the same way • Do not expect the same behavior

Biopesticide successful use: • Coverage, is essential • READ the LABEL!! • Change your mindset – these are NOT chemicals • Be sure the product is not expired – call the manufacturer for advice

TRIVIA!! What is the name of the volcano on the 2012 Hawai’i quarter? Kilauea

Mycoinsecticides (fungal spores) • BotaniGard – BioWorks – Beauveriabassiana strain GHA • Mycotrol O – BioWorks - Beauveriabassiana strain GHA • PFR 97* – Certis - Isaria (Paecilomyces) fumosorosea • Preferal* – Sepro - Isaria (Paecilomyces) fumosorosea • NoFly – Natural Industries – Paecilomyces fumosoroseus strain FE 9901 *Same products – SePRO is subregistering from Certis

Mycoinsecticide Infection May never be seen

Monitoring Effectiveness Healthy Infected Sporulation is NOT a measure of control

A spore is a spore – or is it? • Blastospores (Isaria, Paecilomyces) • produced by liquid fermentation in aqueous solution • Not a survival structure - dispersal structure • Thin walled • More fragile in spray tank and environment • Require higher humidity to germinate/infect

Not all spores are the same • Conidiospores (Beauveriabassiana) • Produced in drier conditions, exposed to air • Survival structures • Thicker walled, tougher • Last longer in the environment, ready to infect • Survive lower humidity, infect at lower RH • Tolerant to chlorinated water • Tank mixable with many chemicals

Using Mycoinsecticides • Know the label, know your pests • Start early in the cycle otherwise… • Understand pre- and post-spray reqts. • Insure full spray coverage • Observe proper spray sequence

Using Mycoinsecticides (contd.) • Exercise patience while the insects die • Frequency vs. higher rates will ↑ control • Store them properly (temp, light)

Read the label • NoFly cannot be used or tank mixed with fungicides. 1 week separation. • High water volume reqd. • Apply immediately • Applied during “low solar radiation: late afternoon early night”. • Apply during high relative humidity; below 86o F • Use of manual sprayers highly recommended - meaning no fogging.

Read the Label PFR-97 20% WDG • Drift and runoff may be hazardous to aquatic organisms • Most effective when RH 80% or more for 8 – 10 hours • Can mix with copper, but not compatible with other fungicides. Allow 5 days before/after. • Must be agitated for 20 – 30 minutes

Example: BotaniGard 22 ES, Mycotrol O • Aphids, thrips, whitefly, mealybug, soft scale, etc. • Rate: 1 – 2 qts / acre • Spray 2 - 3 times 3 – 5 days apart and/or rotate in a program

Example: (cont) BotaniGard 22 ES, Mycotrol O • Insure full coverage of leaves and stems • For thrips pupae spray/sprench the soil • Tank mix with a knockdown (high population) • Store below 85o F • Shelf life: • 18 mo BotaniGard ES • 12 months Mycotrol O

The Issue of Humidity What is this? Insect spiracle

Biofungicides for Root Diseases

Biofungicides for Root Diseases • It is a numbers “game” • 1 x 10E7 spores per gram = 10,000,000 • 4 oz/100 rate = 1,134,000,000 spores • 8 fl oz per pot = 709,000 spores per pot • Best applied at sowing/potting/shifting

Biofungicides for Root Diseases • Reapply at appropriate intervals • Apply unexpired product • Easy on roots = no check in plant growth

Biofungicides for Root Diseases • Curative or preventative? Preventative only Must be applied to clean plants There is no “reach back” or systemic activity

Modes of Action • Bacterial – production of secondary metabolites (antibiotics, etc.) that repel & kill pathogens • Fungal Competitive exclusion Mycoparasitism

TRIVIA!! What is Hawai’i’s longest river? Kaukonahua Stream (south fork) on Oahu at 33 miles

Root Disease Biofungicides • Products with bacterial a.i. • CEASE, Rhapsody, Serenade (B. subtilis QST 713) • Companion (Bacillussubtilis GB03) • Premier with Biofungicide (B. subtilis MBI 600 or B. pumilis GHA 180 • Ecoguard (Bacilluslicheniformis strain SB3086) • Actinovate (Streptomyceslydicus WYEC 108)

Root Disease Biofungicides • Product with fungal a.i. • RootShield (Trichodermaharzianum T-22) • RootShield Plus (T. harzianum + T. virens G-41) • SoilGard (Gliocladiumvirens GL-21)

Reapplication Interval • Bacillus = 2 to 4 week reapplication • Streptomyces = “season long” (4 – 6 wks) • Gliocladium = 1 – 4 weeks • Trichoderma = 12 weeks (RootShield)

Fungus Bacteria Bacteria or Fungus? Pro – shelf life of 18 mo Con – metabolite “burst” then over Con – short reapp interval of 1 -4 weeks Pro – refrigeration not required Con – sensitive to chlorine and other sanitizers • Con – shorter shelf life 6 mo to 1 year • Pro - Continuous competitive exclusion and mycoparasitism • Pro – long reapplication interval -12 weeks • Con – refrigeration required • Pro – some tolerate many input chemicals

Tank Mixing Biopesticides • Physical compatibility is only one dimension • Affect on spores is critical • Jar test will only indicate physical compatibility • Also, not a measure of phytotoxicity • Rely on manufacturers for compatibility information (if they have it) • Benefits from two biologicals or a chemical

Questions? John Francis Technical Services Manager 800-877-9443 Ext. 305 jfrancis@bioworksinc.com

Biopesticide Alternatives for Controlling Insects and Diseases