BIOPESTICIDES A New Zealand Perspective

1. BIOPESTICIDES A New Zealand Perspective Dr Chris Hale The Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New Zealand (HortResearch) New Zealand Representative for UNESCO Regional Network for Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology in South East Asia

3. Major constraints to improved crop productivity - Pests - Diseases - Weeds Biotechnological approaches - Recombinant DNA technology - Risk Assessment - Consumer forces Biopesticides

4. PESTS - Difficult to manage in an eco-friendly way DISEASES - Low success rate to date WEEDS - Increased research effort THE FUTURE?

5. Biopesticides in New Zealand RESEARCH Insect Control Biochemical and molecular applications in pest management Bioassay techniques for development of biopesticides and transgenic plants Viral pesticides Bacillus thuringiensis in IPM programmes Lure and kill Biopesticides for control of key pests in export crops (apples, kiwifruit, stonefruit, avocados)

6. Biocontrol of fungal and bacterial diseases Enchancing natural systems for control Commercialisation of biological control agents Disease Control

7. Insect Control BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR APPLICATIONS Progressions from observed activity to protein, to gene, to transgenic plants for enhanced resistance. Screening proteins against pest and beneficial insects Analysis of expression levels of transgenes in transformed plants Genetic modification of biopesticides, and development of viral biopesticides Development of fungal biopesticides for targeting secondary pests

8. Bioassay Techniques Assessing effects of gene products on insects during development of biopesticides and transgenic plants Insect rearing, insect dissection, and micro-injection Artificial diet and plant bioassays In vitro assays to assess protein potential in the living insect

9. Viral Biopesticides Major targets for baculovirus improvement: - decreasing time to kill - lowering dose for infection - regulating host range Interactions between virus and host at cellular and organismal level Functional mapping to identify genes present on the genome of baculovirus Eppo MNPV Mixed virus infection to identify synergistic factors in viruses

10. Bacillus Thuringiensis Development of IPM programmes:- - Tomato fruit worm - Diamond back moth - Leafrollers on kiwifruit Eradication programmes:- - Painted apple moth - Tussock moth

11. Lure and Kill Prospects for cost-effective pest management - pheromone attractants - pathogen formulations Fungal and viral pathogens for pests of fruit and vegetables Less pathogen, formulation protected, targeted reducing waste Insects vector pathogens

12. Control of Key Pests in Export Crops Efficacy of Biopesticides in New Zealand orchards - CMGV ± UV protectants used in organic production - Spinosad and Beauveria bassiana – leafrollers and codling moth control - Bt - variable performance on apple pests - good performance on kiwifruit leafrollers - Plant extracts – Neem – control is uneconomic Research involves an integration of laboratory assays and orchard trials so that practical and economic control methods are made available to growers

13. Biopesticide Development Biological control involves introduction of a BCA into the habitat of a weed, pest or disease, which kills, or limits the population of the damaging species Ability to use microbial BCAs as pesticides advances rapidly with new biotechnological approaches Effects of BCAs due to specific, genetically-based attributes which may vary at the sub-species level Molecular genetics allows genotype differentiation and pathotype definition Molecular techniques invaluable for strain selection and biopesticide evaluation

15. Disease Control FIRE BLIGHT IN APPLES AND PEARS Screening to isolate beneficial bacteria Mode of action determined – competition, antibiosis Delivery of the BCA – spray, pollinating insects Formulation (Blossom Bless) CROWN GALL Isolation of beneficial bacteria Production of biopesticide Formulation in peat (DYGALL)

16. Enhancing Natural Systems Focus on microbial BCAs and biodegradable natural products for integrated approach to plant disease management. Induced Resistance - Induced plant defence responses using microbial and plant extracts (Elicitors). - Elicitors sensitise plants to express more rapid and intense resistance to pathogens - Benefits: specificity, durability, compatability, safety Natural Products - Trichoderma and its metabolites – 6 penta alpha pyrone – successful against soil diseases Disease Suppressive Composts - Use of organic wastes, e.g. pine bark

17. Weed Control DEVELOPMENT OF MYCOHERBICIDES Pathogenic strain of Fusarium tumidum selected as active ingredient for gorse and broom control Specific to members of the legume family Forumulation development is key to success INVERTEBRATES FOR WEED CONTROL Control of Solanum species Control of Buddleia species

18. Commercial Biopesticide Production Small number of companies in New Zealand involved with formulation and production of biological products Current markets are limited In the past Biocontrol products have promised much but delivered little Difficult for biological products to compete with ‘chemical cures’ Success requires integration into crop production practices Must be cost effective Commercial successes in New Zealand

19. Armillaria on kiwifruit NZ$30 million cost to the industry per year.

20. DRH

21. Fire Blight

22. Blossom Bless®

23. Botrytis bunch rot of grapes Cost to NZ Winegrowers of NZ$30M annually.

24. BOTRY- Zen A powder of a strain of Ulocladium for the control of Botrytis on grapes.

25. Advantages of Biopesticides Reduced synthetic pesticide use and residues Greater public acceptance Production is relatively inexpensive A renewable resource High specific activity Usually target specific Biodegradable

26. Biopesticide Research in New Zealand THE FUTURE Active research programmes Commitment to research on biopesticides Rapid moves to sustainable and organic production systems to meet market demands Key targets: - Brown rot of stonefruit - Leafrollers in many crops - Diamond back moth - Cotton pests - Lettuce grey mould Formulation Commercialisation