Progress 06/01/14 to 01/31/15
Outputs
Target Audience:
Nothing Reported
Changes/Problems: There were some initial technical issues with the seed coatings developed during the Phase I SBIR. The seed coating strength or adherence onto the seed coat ranged from good to poor depending on the treatment. Further effort is needed on the development of the coating protocol and choice of binder to improve the coating strength in Phase II. In addition, further development is needed to ameliorate any detrimental affect that the seed coating may have on the speed of germination. Moreover, we have no knowledge of the shelf life of these treatments and this will be a critical step as we move forward with the commercial adoption of any new seed treatment. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. Investigate vermicompost extract (VE) production methods specific to the manufacturing of seed treatment products and; 2. Investigate techniques for micronizing vermicompost (mVC) while retaining beneficial microbial and biochemical properties. Vermicompost was produced at the RTS facility in Avon, NY using our patented and process controlled production methodology: (a) dairy manure is dewatered, (b) undergoes in-vessel composting followed by (c) vermicomposting in automated flow through digesters containing millions of epigeic earthworms. In consultation with Dr. Taylor, RTS sought vendors capable of grinding the vermicompost (micronization) to appropriate particle size for seed coating. In order to protect the microbial components of the vermicompost, the method of micronization required the vermicompost material to not exceed a predetermined specified temperature. The following is a brief description of the micronization process: a chain of three grinders is oriented in series with shear and counter shear blades and a large volume pneumatic conveyor system between the units. The use of three separate grinders was selected so the material never remained for an extended period of time within the grinder (chance for the heat to buildup). A shear and counter shear blade system for grinding ensures a cutting rather than grinding process and oversized pneumatic conveyors had ample flow to remove heat as a by-product from grinding. Two separate particle sizes were produced using different meshed sieves. Additional considerations included (a) theinitial equipment cost and maintenance (b) operational labor costs and (c) slower production capacity in producing the finer grind vs coarser materials. These two formulations (coarse and fine grind) mVC became the active ingredient(s) in subsequent seed treatments and were termed 'micronized vermicompost'. Finished micronized materials were delivered to Dr. Alan Taylor's lab in Geneva NY for use in seed treatment applications. The third active ingredient trialed in Phase I was RTS's commercially produced liquid formulation of vermicompost extract, termed VE. The VE is stable liquid material extensively tested in a previous SBIR project in Dr. Nelson's lab and shown to have similar disease suppressive properties to the granular vermicompost. Vermicompost extracts (12 different temperature and material based batches) were produced based on a standard concentration ratio and a standard extract process timeframe. Finished batches were sent out Cornell Nutrient Analysis Laboratory for a chemical analysis. In-house testing was also preformed with RTS's selective ion probe. The probe was used to measure Nitrate, Calcium, Potassium, pH and temperature parameters. Finished VE was delivered to Dr. Alan Taylor's lab in Geneva NY for use in seed treatment applications. 3. Adapt seed coating technologies for application of VE and mVC formulations developed and; 4. Apply vermicompost formulations and organic binders as seed treatments (cucumber and tomato). Cucumber was used as the model vegetable crop seed and preliminary investigations revealed that mixing must be done at low speeds to ensure that the freshly applied coatings does not rub off of the sharp edges of a cucumber seeds. For this project, the majority of the micronized vermicompost (mVC) was applied as a dry powder. Seed treatments and coatings were developed for cucumber 'Marketmore 76' and tomato 'Celebrity' seeds. Germination tests were performed in the laboratory in seed germinators at the New York State Seed Testing Laboratory. The final germination was 96% or higher for all treatments for both cucumber and tomato. Trialing of the VE as a seed treatment will not be continued in Phase II as it proved problematic to apply and less effective as a suppression agent against Pythium as a seed treatment. 5. Test treated seeds in a controlled laboratory bioassay for efficacy in pythium suppression. In our Phase I SBIR project, various vermicompost seed treatments (as described above) were evaluated for their disease suppressive properties against Pythium aphanidermatum on both cucumber and tomato. It is clear that both the low and high rates of vermicompost seed treatment (VC), regardless of the particle size used, provided high levels of disease suppression. These assays were conducted using relatively high zoospore concentrations of Pythium aphanidermatum, suggesting that the level of disease suppression we observe is quite robust. 6. Develop information on amounts of VE and mVC needed to be applied to illicit suppressive response (dose vs effect curve). Further effort is needed on the development of a dose vs. effect curve. This will be conducted in the Phase II portion of the project.
Publications
|
Progress 06/01/14 to 01/31/15
Outputs
Target Audience:
Nothing Reported
Changes/Problems: Challenges encountered include: (1) VE batch trials: Setting and maintaining consistent temperatures within small batches are difficult to maintain. (2) Seed Treatment: Micronized (mVC) treatments require lower speed to coat seeds effectively. Lower rotational speed requires more time to achieve full seed coverage. Both of these challenges will be further explored and outlined in the Final Report. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Ongoing work includes: (1) evaluating the physical integrity of treated seeds; (2) expanding the seed treatment application to cabbage and pepper seeds; (3) continued monitoring of VC and VE material parameters (nitrate, calcium, potassium, pH and % solids for extract); Remaining work tasks include: (1) Conduct standard germination tests of treated seeds to assess potential phytotoxicity; (2) evaluation of advanced filtering technologies for VE production; and (3) expand disease suppression experiments with the various VC based seed treatments (testing vermicompost’s ability as a seed treatment to disrupt chemotaxis of Pythium aphanidermatum).
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
(1) Multiple types of vermicompost materials were prepared for use as seed treatments (different grades of micronized solids and liquid extracts), and supplied to Dr. Alan Taylors lab at the Cornell Experiment Station. Micronized Vermicompost (mVC): Two material sizes of mVC (74 µm and 149µm) were produced using a special low-temperature particle size reduction process called micronization. Vermicompost extracts (12 different temperature and material based batches) were produced based on a 40:1 concentration ratio and a 7-day extract process timeframe. (2) Dr. Taylor (Cornell) developed appropriate seed application techniques and generated five classes of treatment on two different crops. To our knowledge these are a first of their kind in a new class of organic seed treatments. (3) Treated seeds have been supplied to our grow-out facility and Dr. Nelson’s lab (Dept. of Plant Pathology) for pythium suppression bioassay. The very preliminary first trial showed a visually apparent level of suppression against this major crop pathogen.
Publications
|
|