Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Conventional agrochemicals (e.g., antibiotics and synthetic pesticides) adversely impact the economy, environment, and human health due to significant spray loss and antibiotic resistance emergence. Biopesticides have emerged as an alternative strategy to conventional agrochemicals. However, their real-world performance remains weak, resulting in a low market share. This is due to their instability under field conditions and significant spray loss and runoff from hydrophobic plant surfaces. The goal of this integrated project is to enhance the biocidal efficacy of biopesticides by improving their stability under field conditions and to reduce spray loss and runoff by improving drop retention on hydrophobic plant surfaces, thereby promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Specific research objectives are: 1) develop bio-based microcarriers for encapsulating microbial and biochemical pesticides to enhance biopesticide stability under simulated field conditions; 2) engineer bio-based microcarriers with organic-certified surfactant to enhance biopesticide delivery and retention on hydrophobic plant surfaces; 3) demonstrate the enhanced biocidal efficacy of new biopesticide formulations against fire blight in greenhouse and field trials; and 4) assess biopesticide knowledge and attitudes among stakeholders and consumers, and offer trainings for students and industry professionals. Success in this project will promote the deployment of these biopesticides, offering enhanced functionality and stability for managing plant diseases in organic production and providing sustainable alternatives to antibiotics and synthetic pesticides commonly used in conventional production. The long-term impact of this research is in support of Program Area Goals to develop bio-based products that improve product functionality, increase potential revenues and/or reduce cost over incumbent products.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
10%
Applied
40%
Developmental
50%
Goals / Objectives
The long-term goal of this Integrated Project is to enhance the biocidal efficacy of biopesticides by improving their stability under field conditions and to reduce spray loss and runoff by improving drop retention on plant surfaces, thereby promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Specific research objectives are: 1) develop bio-based microcarriers for encapsulating microbial and biochemical pesticides to enhance biopesticide stability under simulated field conditions; 2) engineer bio-based microcarriers with organic-certified surfactant to enhance biopesticide delivery and retention on hydrophobic plant surfaces; 3) demonstrate the enhanced biocidal efficacy of new biopesticide formulations against fire blight in greenhouse and field trials; and 4) assess biopesticide knowledge and attitudes among stakeholders and consumers, and offer trainings for students and industry professionals.
Project Methods
OBJECTIVE 1: Develop bio-based microcarriers for encapsulating microbial and biochemical pesticides to enhance biopesticide stability under simulated field conditions.Bio-based sporopollenin and yeast microcarriers are used to encapsulate both microbial and biochemical pesticides. These two bio-based microcarriers offer exceptional loading efficiency for diverse biopesticides and enhance their stability when exposed to environmental conditions, such as sunlight, desiccation, and elevated temperatures often encountered in the field. The rationale for selecting these two carriers is based on the unique compositional and structural characteristics inherent in plant pollen grains and yeast cells, as illustrated in our preliminary results. Furthermore, the chosen pollen grains and yeast cells originate from plant sources or naturally interact with fruit trees. The sub-aims are (1) preparation and characterization of sporopollenin and yeast microcarriers; (2) encapsulation of microorganisms (phages and non-spore-forming BCAs); (3) encapsulation of plant extracts.OBJECTIVE 2: Engineer bio-based microcarriers with organic-certified surfactant to enhance biopesticide delivery and retention on hydrophobic plant surfaces.Surface engineering of SECs and YMs using food-grade adhesive polydopamine (PDA) and organic-certified organosilicon surfactant siloxane polyalkyleneoxide copolymers (SPC) will mitigate spray loss and improve droplet retention on hydrophobic plant surfaces, leading to enhanced delivery and biocidal efficacy of biopesticides. Using PDA and SPC, a lamellar-like micelle structure will be formed on the surface of microcarriers, regulating impact splash and extending the dispersion of droplets. The techniques of double-casting microreplication and high-speed photography allow investigation of single drop impact on complex apple blossom petals. The sub-aims are (1) surface engineering of bio-based microcarriers and characterization of their physicochemical properties; (2) assessment of the engineered microcarriers in improving droplet retention on plant surfaces.OBJECTIVE 3: Demonstrate the enhanced biocidal efficacy of new biopesticide formulations against fire blight in greenhouse and field trials.We will assess the spray retention and biocidal efficacy of new pesticide formulations in real production conditions. Alongside guiding materials development in Objectives 1 & 2, we will evaluate their performance on whole plants in a greenhouse, simulating high UV irradiation and low humidity conditions. The greenhouse experiments will aid in identifying the three most promising biopesticide composites for field trials. Further studies will demonstrate field-relevant performance of the proposed biopesticide formulations. By characterizing disease prevalence under normal operating conditions, we aim to showcase the practical efficacy of these biopesticide formulations in real-world scenarios. The sub-aims are (1) assessment of biopesticide performance on whole plants in greenhouse; and (2) in-situ field plot spray assay.OBJECTIVE 4: Assess biopesticide knowledge and attitudes among stakeholders and consumers, and offer trainings for students and industry professionals.Survey development serves as a crucial initial step for gathering insights and knowledge from growers, chemical companies, and consumers, informing the development of extension and education programs (workshops and online courses) to address specific needs and challenges faced by the target audiences. In-person workshops facilitate interactions between extension specialists and stakeholders, while online training modules provide flexible learning for both students and industry professionals. The effectiveness of both workshops and online courses will be assessed to enhance and refine these initiatives. The sub-aims are (1) evaluation of stakeholders' and consumers' current knowledge and attitudes towards biopesticide application in agriculture; (2) development and delivery of in-person workshops and online training courses for students and agriculture industry professionals; and (3) evaluation and measurement of learning outcomes from in-person workshops and online training courses.