Presentation

The biopesticide, provisionally designated as PcMR-1, contain as active factor the fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia,PcMR strain.

This specie is an egg parasite of rootknot nematodes and provided evidences of his effectiveness in the disease combat all through extensive studies. During 1998, several strains of this specie were collected from RKN eggs, all around the country.

In vitro and pot tests indicated a high potential of PcMR strain in the combat of RKN disease. After extensive laboratory and real field conditions studies, PcMR strain showed its importance in disease control.

Biopesticide PcMR-1 consists of a specific PcMR type of spores designated chlamydospores. The formulation achieved is able to form aqueous suspensions for application in irrigation systems, as drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation or micro-sprinkler irrigation and irrigation through water cans. In small plots it can be distributed on the soil surface by spraying a concentrated suspension and then be mechanically incorporated into the soil.

Mode of action

After the biopesticide application, chlamydospores germinate, giving rise to hyphae that contact with infected roots and egg masses on the surface. Thus, the biopeticide application should be done in order to distribute the chlamydospores uniformly as possible to reach the roots of all plants in the culture.

These hyphae involve the egg masses and form structures called appressoria which penetrate the egg shell allowing the pierce and the absorption of its nutrient contents, consequently destroying the egg.

Benefits of implementing PcMR-1

a) It does not have a safety period – it can be applied at any stage of the crop cycle, even during the harvest where currently there is no solution against RKN that can be applied

b) It can be used as a complement to chemical nematicides - It is compatible with the use of chemical nematicides post-planting, particularly the families of organophosphates and carbamates. The biopesticide could be used in alternation with those nematicides, which are currently approved.

c) It helps to combat the resistance to chemical nematicides - Help to improve the efficiency and the extent of useful life of chemical nematicides post-planting (www.irac-online.org/), including the families of
carbamates and organophosphates currently in use. It may be used in rotation since it has an entirely different mode of action.

d) Suitable for Organic Agriculture - It can be applied to organic farming once it leaves no chemical residues in soil or on crops, it does not cause undesirable side effects, it has no toxic effect for consumers, operators, pets or wildlife on crops and surrounding areas.

e) There are no restrictions on their application - It can be applied as often as it is necessary at any time during the course of culture.

f) Easy to maintain, to handle and transport – It can be stored at room temperature, if this not exceed 25 ºC and it does not damage itself until the opening of packages.

g) Its active material is chlamydospores – The chlamydospores of Pochonia chlamydosporia are particularly suitable to distribute on soil in order to start the activity against the RKN parasitism. Chlamydospores are about 100 times larger than conidia (spores usually used to multiply fungi), more resistant and does not need additional energy sources that could promote the development of saprophytic competitors.

h) The quantity of active material used – It is recommended, for implementation, the use of 6250 grams of technical product that corresponds to approximately 5 x 1011 viable chlamydospores. This quantity facilitates the handling and distribution, improving the application effectiveness.

i) Easy to apply – It can be easily implemented by simply mixing with water and injected in irrigation systems, especially drip irrigation, sprinkle irrigation and micro-sprinkle irrigation or by furrows.

j) It is designed to be used in integrated crop protection , especially suitable for use during the safety period of chemical nematicides, when they cannot be applied. This way, is possible to benefit from the nematode population decrease they initially cause. Furthermore, this initial decrease of the population induces the emergence of egg masses on the surface of the roots, facilitating the PcMR-1 action. This situation hinders the growth of the nematode population keeping it low throughout the period of culture, not least, causing a decline in population present in the soil for the following crop. The biopesticide use alternated with chemical nematicides can still combat the risk of resistance to these nematicides.(www.irac-online.org/)