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NEW BIOLOGICAL PEST CONTROL SYSTEM DEVELOPED BY AUBURN RESEARCHERS
AUBURN, Ala.__--Providing an ideal battlefield situation and life support
system sound more like military planning for the Persian Gulf than a
war against plant diseases and insects. However, that's the way Auburn
University researchers describe a new invention designed to provide
an ideal environment for fungi and bacteria that fight and kill disease-causing
organisms -- possibly even insects.
The formulation was developed by researchers in the Alabama Agricultural
Experiment Station and is under patent consideration and development
by a major U.S. corporation. It has no name, but is described as, "a
life support system for the good guys," by Auburn researcher Paul
Backman.
"Disease-causing bacteria and fungi are in constant competition
with naturally occurring organisms. What we are doing with this formulation
is providing food and protection for these beneficial organisms, so
they can multiply and subsequently overwhelm the 'bad' organisms that
cause problems for farmers and home gardeners," Backman explained.
In more scientific terms, the Auburn researchers have used their invention
to effectively and consistently provide long term changes in the microflora
of leaf surfaces. Scientists around the world have tried and failed
to do this with such simple molecules as urea, sucrose and proteins.
The microflora of plant leaves contains millions of microorganisms per
square inch--some good, some bad. The bad ones cause plant diseases
and the good ones destroy these organisms and/or cause diseases in insects
that attack the plant. By rearranging this microflora, the Auburn scientists
have effectively swung the balance in favor of the good microorganisms.
The formulation that Backman's research team developed contains chitin
and other food bases. For protection from the elements, it contains
ultraviolet screens, and for protection from high acidity, it contains
buffer compounds. A sticking agent is added to enable the formulation
to adhere to leaf surfaces. To this formulation, various bacteria and
fungi are added, depending on the target pest.
Research results on various crops have ranged from promising to outstanding,
according to Auburn researchers. On tomatoes, for example, control of
bacterial spot using the formulation has been better than any commercial
bactericide. However, on peanuts, it has been only about 70 percent
as effective as the popular fungicide Bravo in controlling leafspot--a
fungal disease.
In general, Backman says bacterial agents in the formulation have been
somewhat less effective than commercially available pesticides. Fungal
agents applied to apples have been almost as effective as commercial
fungicides.
In research on tomatoes, the fungi and bacteria-containing formulation
was first sprayed when plants were about a week old, then subsequent
applications were applied every seven to 10 days throughout the growing
season. In peanuts and other agronomic crops, it was applied in larger
volumes of water, using traditional spraying equipment. The material
is formulated with pH buffers and drying oils and can be applied in
concentrations of water in excess of 99 percent.
"Currently, we are not near commercial application to large acreage
agronomic crops, such as peanuts. However, we hope to bring the formulation
to home gardeners and commercial organic fruit and vegetable producers
first, and we have almost achieved a level of performance acceptable
for backyard fruit trees and gardens," Backman concluded.
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By:
Roy Roberson
March 4/91
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