The use of biological control methods using entomopathogens such as fungi is one way around theincreasing pesticide resistance being developed by major crop pest insects according to StephenFord.
Greentide Ltd .’s managing director says chemicalpesticides will always have 1-2% of insects that are tolerant of the spray. Given the rapidlifecycles of many insects, it often only takes a couple of years before an insect population isresistant to a particular concentration of chemical pesticide, forcing an ever upward ratcheting ofspray quantities to achieve pest control.
However, given both legislator and public desire for less chemical pesticides, a biologicalcontrol through entomopathogens is a perfect solution he says.
Comparatively speaking, an entomopathogen is like being hit by a baseball bat to the head from aninsect’s point of view.
Greentide’s fungi work by a spore catching the side of an insect. It punches a hole through itsexoskeleton, climbs inside and helps itself to the insect as a food source.
“It’s very difficult to get insect resistance to a physical control,” Ford says. “With aphysical mechanism, there is no sub-lethal dose, and there’s been no recorded resistance.”
In addition, the fungal damage caused to the insect’s cuticle increases the penetration ofnatural metabolites that are part of the biological-control formulation – again hastening aninsect’s death. Ford has recently been granted a world-first patent for his completely non-toxic(to humans) natural metabolite – and as its won’t become insect resistant, this patent couldeasily be effective for the 20 years it is granted.
As one of 10 finalists in the University ofAuckland Business School’s Entrepreneurs’ Challenge , if Greentide won one of the prizes, themoney would be poured into even more bioreactors to produce even more of the biological control.
Being centred in New Zealand’s main vegetable crop growing area, and now having proven that hisproducts are consistently as insect lethal as chemical controls, Greentide’s expanding toAustralia and the U.S.A, and expects to be in South Africa by July next year.
“We’re hoping to make all the product in New Zealand, though won’t for Australia,” Fordsays. “Over there, they’re very parochial and we’ve been advised to have an Australian Madeflag on the package.”