Day: August 9, 2023

August 7, 2023 

Patricia Manarang 

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New biocontrol agent production model to fight fall armyworm in Bangladesh

The state of BCA use in Bangladesh

The use of biological control agents (BCAs) to manage pests is a concept not yet fully embraced by farmers. This is especially true in Bangladesh, where the invasive pest, fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), has affected many crops. First seen in Bangladesh in November 2018, fall armyworm causes harvest loss and economic damage. Fall armyworm infestations have impacted one of Bangladesh’s most important crops, maize. Maize is one of the country’s top three major crops, making these infestations particularly devastating.

Using biological control, or biocontrol, is a viable way to control these pests, as it is environmentally friendly and safe for humans. It is a good way to manage fall armyworm if the proper systems are enforced. Although biocontrol research and product development has progressed in the country, their uptake and usage are still lacking.

The main reasons for this are the inaccessibility of bioprotection products and questions about their efficiency. Farmers do not completely understand their use, applications, and methods. Additionally, their high costs, local unavailability, and burdensome regulations make them unappealing to invest in. Another big issue is that there aren’t enough existing distribution networks. As a result, farmers have become more dependent on the use of chemicals for fall armyworm management. BCA production is also currently done through a singular business model. This can be limiting to BCA production and usage. 

Current BCA production model and how it can be improved

In Bangladesh, private enterprises are in charge of the production of bioprotection products and also their distribution through dealers. The dealers, usually agro-dealers or individual enterprises, market the biopesticides. Extension agents are also tapped to promote the BCAs to the farmers. This linear business model has been established with BCA production centralized in only one location. The problem with this setup is that the BCAs with short shelf lives cannot reach farmers in farther places. On a structural level, this BCA production model is also problematic as it uses a one-way communication system. Consumers and customers are unable to relay their concerns and feedback back to the enterprises.

This brings up the need for a new model that maximizes BCA production and where contributors can work together. To devise this model, a CABI-led study gathered information. The study, published last year, looked at BCA production and use in Bangladesh through key informant interviews and focus group discussions with relevant people and organizations. The results determined what problems farmers have with BCAs and how BCA production could be revamped to attract them.

Problems caused by the existing BCA production model

The researchers asked different stakeholders about their BCA usage. Agro-dealers in maize-growing locations stated that there is no BCA demand. They said that there is a lack of awareness on the part of the farmers of BCAs and related products. Hence, all the interviewed agro-dealers supply chemical products, while only half stock bioprotection products that manage fall armyworm infestations. This half stated that they can only carry two types of these products due to unavailability and supply inconsistency of others.

The team also asked six farmer-producer organizations (FPOs) about their use of BCAs. The interviews revealed that BCAs ranked low among pest management practices commonly used by farmers. Nevertheless, they stated that half of their constituents were at least aware of BCAs, and 60% of that half are BCA users. This shows that those aware of BCAs and their benefits do tend to use them.

They also identified BCA unavailability in the market as the biggest problem, a result of the current BCA production system. The FPOs further explained that limited farmer knowledge, lack of subsidies, and preference for chemicals were also reasons for low uptake.

Despite this, 67% of FPOs said that their members are willing to pay for BCAs to combat fall armyworm infestations. Findings also state that BCAs priced from BDT 2,000-5,000 (USD 18-45) per hectare are viewed as an ideal price range. This is because anything priced lower is seen as low-quality and anything higher is too expensive.

Proposed solution and improved model for BCA production

This study proposes a solution that utilizes a circular business model, promoting collaboration and sustainability. This non-linear business model involves the participation of four stakeholder groups. At its core, it builds capacity and fosters mentorship between the stakeholders. This creates a support system and allows for the cross-sharing of information and material between each level, improving BCA production. 

The first group is the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), tasked with capacity building for nucleus culture production. BARI is the largest research institute under the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) and conducts various experiments on agriculture. Their role is to maintain bioassays and trials aimed to improve culture strains. To ensure the integrity of the strain of BCAs produced at farm level, it would be necessary for BARI to test the product from time to time.

The second stakeholders are the regional research centres and extension agents. These scientists will be trained over five years through academic and process-oriented training. In turn, they will train farmers to use the BCAs and how BCA production works. They will also provide starter culture to farmers to assist in production and keep the integrity of the strain.

The third group is the agro-dealers, who provide particulars on fall armyworm management, BCA inputs, and complementary products. They can share information on different products with farmers through different educational materials. Moreover, they could redirect farmers to other sources of BCAs if they themselves cannot provide them. Especially if they did stock complementary products.

Lastly, the fourth group is the FPOs. In Bangladesh, these FPOs are well-established and trained in pest management. In the proposed model, farm entrepreneurs and women’s groups will own and operate local BCA production hubs, making it easier to meet demand. The farm entrepreneurs and women’s groups who manage the local BCA production units must be affiliated with FPOs to ensure customers. FPOs will also handle awareness creation of BCA production and effectiveness, and guarantee nucleus cultures to the farmers.  

What does this business model need in order to operate?

To finance this model, the study estimates that USD 500,000 in capital costs is needed to house 250 million Trichogramma sp. Using this specific BCA for fall armyworm management is effective, as seen in cases in Latin America and Africa. The specific costs required are for laboratory space, culture mass-rearing chambers, chemicals needed in BCA production, and other materials. Plus, annual costs for training, support for production, and dissemination. In addition to the costs for field trials to determine the effectiveness of the BCAs will also be part of the budget.

Aside from this money, long-term financial and technical support, research on sustainability, and policies for incentives can operationalize this model. Further research is also needed to determine if BCA production becomes viable through this method.

PlantwisePlus has partnered with BARI to strengthen the regional production of Trichogramma in Bangladesh. Since 2022, CABI scientists have been supporting local stakeholders in the set-up of a rearing facility at the regional centre and increasing capacity at HQ level.

The Trichogramma rearing facility will supply the parasitoid to farmers for the management of various pests, including brinjal fruit and shoot borer, as well as fall armyworm.

Read the full paper:

Kadzamira, M.A.T.J., Chaudhary, M., Williams, F. et al. A non-linear approach to the establishment of local biological control agent production units: a case study of fall armyworm in Bangladesh. CABI Agric Biosci 3, 48 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43170-022-00115-5

The study was funded as part of CABIs global Action on Invasives programme and by the CABI Development Fund (CDF). Action on Invasives was supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Netherlands Directorate General for International Cooperation (DGIS).

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Useful resources

CABI’s Fall armyworm portal

The CABI BioProtection Portal is the largest global database of biological plant protection products

PlantwisePlus Knowledge Bank for open access practical plant health information

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Fostering collaborations for utilizing and promoting biocontrol agents to fight fall armyworm in Bangladesh

Conserving biodiversity: biocontrol for sustainable agriculture

Bangladesh, Fall armyworm, biocontrol, pesticide risk reduction

Invasive species

NATURE20 July 2023

ByRUSSELL MCLENDON

Asp caterpillars are among the most venomous caterpillars in the Americas. (Judy Gallagher/Flickr/CC BY 2.0)

Caterpillars with a notoriously painful sting may have evolved their venom with help from ancient microbes, according to a new study led by scientists from the University of Queensland in Australia.

Their analysis has uncovered signs that a process known as horizontal gene transfer may have allowed sequences for toxins to jump from bacteria to the insect some time in their evolutionary past.

While the caterpillar’s venom remains largely shrouded in mystery, researchers say its molecular secrets could turn out to be surprisingly beneficial for us.

The caterpillars wielding this venom are larvae of flannel moths (Megalopyge sp.); a soft, fuzzy genus native to North and South America. They’re sometimes called “puss caterpillars,” since their luxuriant coats of hairlike bristles can make them look sort of like caterpillar-sized cats.

But that’s not their only nickname. Also known as “asp caterpillars,” there’s a hidden danger below those bristles.

The caterpillars’ fur obscures an arsenal of venomous spines, which can inject powerful toxins into any would-be predators or hapless humans who touch them.

This venom causes an immediate and intense burning pain, commonly inspiring descriptions such as “being hit with a baseball bat,” “walking on hot coals,” or “the worst pain a patient has ever experienced,” the researchers write.

Some animal venoms have proven useful to humans in recent years, and a growing field of research now views them as potential goldmines. Certain snake and spider venoms, for example, show “amazing potential” to inspire new medications, the study’s authors say.

And since caterpillar venoms have received relatively little scientific attention so far, the researchers decided to investigate venom from some of the scariest caterpillars on Earth.

Their study focused on two moth species – the southern flannel moth (Megalopyge opercularis) and the black-waved flannel moth (Megalopyge crispata) – to shed light on the anatomy, chemistry, and mode of action for venom systems in asp caterpillars.

They discovered a venom system that differed substantially not only from closely related venomous caterpillars, but also from insects in general.

“We were surprised to find asp caterpillar venom was completely different to anything we had seen before in insects,” says University of Queensland molecular entomologist Andrew Walker.

The quirks of asp caterpillar venom support the idea it evolved independently from other insect venom, the researchers say. In fact, its origins seem to lie outside the animal kingdom entirely.

“When we looked at it more closely, we saw proteins that were very similar to some of the bacterial toxins that make you sick,” Walker says.

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Specifically, asp caterpillar venom resembles a type of bacterial toxin that binds itself to the surface of a cell, the researchers explain, assembling into doughnut-like structures that rip holes in their cell target.

While organisms normally pass genes down their offspring in a so-called vertical fashion, sometimes genes can be transferred across between species – even distantly related ones – in a less common horizontal process.

Previous research has found evidence of horizontal gene transfer from bacteria to other, more complex creatures, including the transfer of genes involved with producing venom toxins.

In their new study, Walker and his colleagues say they’ve found evidence that major components of asp caterpillar venom were recruited as venom toxins from genes that bacteria transferred horizontally to their ancestors.

“The venom in these caterpillars has evolved via the transfer of genes from bacteria more than 400 million years ago,” Walker says.

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Moths and butterflies have a wide range of strategies to protect themselves in their larval stages, and research like this can offer new insights into these amazing adaptations – including the different ways they arose and evolved.

“Many caterpillars have developed sophisticated defenses against predators, including cyanide droplets and defensive glues that cause severe pain, and we’re interested to understand how they are all related,” Walker says.

In addition to sheer curiosity, humans are also studying these caterpillars in hopes of finding some tangible rewards for our species. Understanding venom can help us protect ourselves from it, and can give us new ideas for developing or improving things like medications and pesticides.

In asp caterpillar venom, the newly identified megalysin toxins cause intense pain by forming holes in cells. If humans can mimic and modify this tactic, we might find ways to channel 400 million years of moth evolution into life-saving innovations instead of just painful stings.

“Toxins that puncture holes in cells have particular potential in drug delivery because of their ability to enter cells,” Walker says.

“There may be a way to engineer the molecule to target beneficial drugs to healthy cells, or to selectively kill cancer cells.”

The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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August 8, 2023 

Laura Hollis 

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New bioprotection course paves the way for a more sustainable agricultural landscape 

CABI Academy‘s latest course, Introduction to Bioprotection Products, enables agricultural service providers to equip themselves with the knowledge and skills to support smallholder farmers using bioprotection products.

Bioprotection, also known as biocontrol, is a more sustainable approach to pest management. Unlike conventional chemical pesticides, bioprotection products are derived from natural sources, making them a safer alternative with minimal environmental impact.  

CABI’s PlantwisePlus programme recognises the urgent need to increase farmers’ uptake of lower-risk plant protection products. The programme enhances the use of low-risk solutions to reduce reliance on high-risk farm inputs that adversely affect human health and biodiversity.  

As such, the CABI Academy‘s latest course is an introduction to bioprotection products and includes practical guidance on choosing, using, and interpreting the results of bioprotection in the field. The online course is relevant to anyone interested in bioprotection but particularly benefits extension workers, agro-input dealers, and agricultural educators. 

Course Structure and Content 

The Introduction to Bioprotection Products course addresses the pressing need for knowledge and skills in applying bioprotection products correctly. It is a self-paced online course that spans 8-10 hours and comprises three core sections, which delve into the following topics: 

– What are bioprotection products, and how do they work? 
– Using bioprotection products to monitor pest insects 
– Safety information and interpreting product labels 
– Access to bioprotection products 
– How to transport and store bioprotection products 
– Making the most of bioprotection products 
– Application and interpretation of results

The importance of bioprotection products 

The CABI Academy’s latest course offers a crucial opportunity for agricultural service providers to equip themselves with the knowledge and skills to support smallholder farmers using bioprotection products. By incorporating bioprotection into their practices, learners can contribute to the sustainable future of agriculture, addressing global food security challenges and protecting livelihoods. 

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==Learn about microbial bioprotection products on the CABI Academy Introduction to bioprotection products online course

The new course sits alongside the CABI Bioprotection Portal,  an- tool designed to raise awareness of bioprotection among growers and advisors. In addition, users can identify and source biocontrol and biopesticides products. The CABI Bioprotection Portal complements the bioprotection course by enabling users to put their knowledge into practice and is available on smartphones, tablets and desktops.  

So why are bioprotection products so important? 

Environmentally safe 

The primary advantage of biopesticides lies in their minimal impact on the environment. Unlike chemical pesticides, which can leave harmful residues in soil, water bodies, and food crops, biopesticides degrade rapidly, reducing the risk of environmental contamination. Their non-toxic nature ensures that beneficial insects, birds, and other non-target organisms remain unharmed, promoting overall biodiversity and ecosystem health. 

Less hazardous to humans 

Chemical pesticides have raised concerns over potential health hazards for farmers, consumers, and communities. Biopesticides, on the other hand, are generally considered safe for humans due to their natural origin and low toxicity levels. Their use contributes to a healthier farming environment and a safer food supply. 

Reduced residual buildup 

The accumulation of pesticide residues in crops is a pressing concern for food safety. Consumers are increasingly conscious of the chemicals present in their food, demanding produce with lower pesticide residues. Biopesticides break down more quickly, leaving little to no residues on the crops.  

Managing pesticide resistance 

Continuous exposure to chemical pesticides can lead to the emergence of resistant pest populations, rendering the pesticides ineffective over time.  Biopesticide and biocontrol products use a variety of modes of action, reducing the chance of pest resistance. In addition, these modes of action are usually more complex than those of chemical pesticides. As a result, pests are less likely to develop resistance. 

Sustainable agriculture 

Biopesticides enable farmers to protect their crops while maintaining soil health, preserving beneficial insect populations, and supporting the natural balance of ecosystems. In conjunction with other sustainable practices like crop rotation and integrated pest management (IPM), biopesticide and biocontrol products contribute to long-term agricultural viability. 

A more sustainable future 

With more than 2,000 active learners expected to partake in the Bioprotection Course by early 2024, there is hope that these efforts will pave the way for a more resilient and sustainable agricultural landscape. All the more pertinent in the face of an ever-growing population and changing environmental conditions.

Sign up to the Introduction to Bioprotection Products online course.

PlantwisePlus

PlantwisePlus is financially supported by the Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS), Netherlands; European Commission Directorate General for International Partnerships (INTPA, EU); the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), United Kingdom; the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC); the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR); the Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (MARA)

CABI Academy, biopesticides, bioprotection, eLearning, plant health, plant pests

Agriculture and International Development, Crop health, Development communication and extension, Digital development