BIOPESTICIDES

Trichoderma harzianum
It is a fungus that is used as a fungicide. It is an aggressive competitor which competes for space and nutrients (carbon, iron, and
nitrogen) with the soil-borne plant pathogens in the rhizosphere.
✔ Induce Resistance: They penetrate root tissue and initiate a series of morphological and biochemical changes in the plant (eg.
Increased peroxides, chitinases activity; production of fungi toxic compounds and callose-rich wall appositions on the inner
surface of cell walls), leading to induced systemic resistance (ISR) in the entire plant.
✔ Biofertilization and Stimulation of Plant defense mechanism: Root colonization mostly enhances root growth and
development, crop productivity, resistance to abiotic stresses, and the uptake of nutrients.
✔ Antibiosis: They produce low molecular weight diffusible antibiotics (gliotoxin, viridine, trichodermin, and others) and inhibit
the growth of another microorganism. They destroy the cell walls of phytopathogenic fungi and produce biologically active
substances, which stimulate plant growth and development.
✔ Mycoparasitism: They produce many lytic enzymes like protease or chitinolytic enzymes endochitinases, which destroy the
pathogen growth by breaking down polysaccharides, chitin, glucans (responsible for the rigidity of fungal cell walls) thereby
destroying cell wall integrity.
AZADIRACHTIN
◦ It has been identified as neem’s principal active compound.
◦ It acts on insects by repelling them, inhibiting feeding, and disrupting their growth, metamorphosis, and
reproduction.
◦ Neem-based formulations do not usually kill insects directly, but they can alter their behavior in
significant ways to reduce pest damage to crops and reduce their reproductive potential.
◦ Azadirachtin affects insect physiology by mimicking a natural hormone. It has been shown to affect egg
production and hatching rates. In larvae, azadirachtin can inhibit molting, preventing them from
developing into pupae.
 Bacillus thuringienesis
◦ Several bacterial pathogens that have been used as insecticides include
1. Endospore forming -Bacillus and Clostridium sps
2. Non-endospore forming-Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, proteus, Serratia
Of the potential bacterial pesticides, Bacillus thuringienesis has been most extensively used:
◦ Bacillus thuringienesis has been successfully tested against more than 140 insect species (Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera,
Diptera and Coleoptera)
◦ At present, there are 12 groups of Bacillus thuringienesis.
◦ All strains produce protein crystal inclusion bodies which acts as endotoxin.
◦ They are toxic factors and are called Parasporal bodies.
◦ These crystals dissolve under alkaline condition.
◦ Not soluble in water under neutral or acidic conditions.
◦ These crystals dissolve under alkaline conditions. The midgut contents of the caterpillar larvae (pests) are alkaline.
◦ On ingestion, the crystal dissolves in the midgut fluid and gets digested, particularly by the proteolytic enzyme
present in the midgut fluid.
◦ This digested protein crystal attacks the cementing substances which are present in the gut wall, thus loosening the
epithelial gut wall which helps the continuous diffusion of liquid from the gut into the blood making the blood of
the insect highly alkaline and leading to gut paralysis.
◦ The parasporal bodies are highly toxic for caterpillars with an LD50 value of <0.9ug/g of larvae.
◦ The process of crystal synthesis and spore formation proceed simultaneously. The toxin production by a culture
can be enhanced by controlling many factors.
◦ Bacillus thuringiensis toxin genes have been introduced via recombinant DNA technology into the genome of
plants or plant-associated microorganisms.
◦ Insecticides based on B.thuringiensis are used for short-term control.
◦ They do not persist from year to year. During crop spraying, it is essential to make sufficient coverage on a leaf
surface. But the BT spray must be protected from inactivation by sunlight since it is sensitive to ultra-violet light.
◦ In order to avoid this, emulsifying agents, stickers or binders and UV protectants can be used in the
formulation.
◦ Some commercial names of Bacillus thuringiensis are DWEL, DOOM.