Finding A Place for A New Microbial Biopesticide in

Crop Protection Programs

Michael B. Dimock, Ph.D. Vice President, Field Development

Certis USA, L.L.C. Columbia, Maryland

2nd Ag Innovations Conference - La Jolla, CA (13 Aug 2017)

• Biopesticide developer, manufacturer & marketer

• Wholly owned by Mitsui & Co. (Fortune 500)

• Broad product portfolio (~30 active ingredients) – Microbials, botanicals, biochemicals, others – Agriculture, Ornamentals, Specialty, Home Garden

• Sales in over 50 countries, all continents except Antarctica

• Headquarters and R&D: Columbia, MD

• Manufacturing sites: – Wasco, CA (liquid fermentation) – Bangalore, India (neem extraction) – Butte, MT (solid fermentation)

• Dedicated North America field sales, technical & regulatory team

• More info: www.CertisUSA.com

Who is Certis USA?

http://exploringtheinvisible.com

• Common species of bacterium in soil and plant samples worldwide.

• “Isolate J” from asymptomatic sugar beet foliage in field with severe Cercospora outbreak in Montana (Dr. Barry Jacobsen).

• Patented by Montana State University, licensed to Certis USA.

• Fermentation methods, scale-up and formulation developed by Certis.

Active ingredient: Bacillus mycoides isolate J (BmJ)

B. Jacobsen

Cercospora leaf spot in sugar beet

Treatments: 1. Best labeled fungicide rotation (4 applications total).

2. BmJ alone (4 applications at 1×106 cfu/ml)

3. BmJ + ½ rate fungicide at disease onset, then 3 more BmJ applications.

Field trials by B. Jacobsen (Montana State Univ.) & collaborators, 1996 - 2010.

0

20

40

60

80

100

Standardfungicideprogram

BmJonly

BmJ + reducedfungicideprogram

% Efficacy vs. Untreated Check

Mean ± SEM over 11 growing seasons

Triazoles Strobilurins

Same disease control with

fewer fungicide

applications

Pathogen

• Little or no direct antagonistic effect on

plant pathogens.

• Activates plant’s natural defenses against pathogens.

Actigard® is a registered trademarks of Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc.

Adapted from: Bargabus et al, 2002. Physiol. Mol. Plant Pathol. 61: 289-298 Bargabus-Larson & Jacobsen, 2007. J. Sugar Beet Res. 44: 17-33. Fu & Dong, 2013. Ann. Rev. Plant Biol. 64: 839-863.

Nonexpresser of Pathogenesis Related Protein 1

NPR1 NPR1 NPR1

NPR1 Inactive oligomer

Cytosol

Nucleus Active monomers NPR1

NPR1

NPR1

NPR1

TF PR genes Defense

proteins

Salicylic Acid (SA)

Oxidative burst (ROS)

BmJ

MAMPs? PAMPs

• Genetic and biochemical pathway similar to acibenzolar-S-methyl (Actigard® ).

– NPR1 - dependent – SA - independent

• New FRAC group: – P6 (microbial inducer of plant resistance).

• Induced resistance response detectable within 3 hours, lasts 18 – 21 days.

• No phytotoxicity in 20+ years of field trials.

ASM

Chemical elicitors

BmJ Mode of Action

• EPA & PMRA approved late 2016 OMRI listed (USA) ECOCERT (Canada) Exempt from residue tolerance - no PHI or MRL

• Water-dispersible granule (WG) – 40% active ingredient – Minimum 30 billion viable spores per gram

• Application rate: – 1.0 - 4.5 ounces/Acre – Target concentration: 4.5 oz/100 gal

(= 107 spores/ml)

• Application methods – Ground sprayer – Aerial application (USA) – Stationary overhead sprinkler chemigation

Registration/Labeling:

See product label for specific use instructions and other information.

70%

83% 87%

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

Untreatedcheck

LIFEGARD1.2 oz/A(ABCD)

Fungicide 1 (AB)Fungicide 2 (CD)

LIFEGARD (AC)Fungicide 1 (B)Fungicide 2 (D)

RAUDPC

Aberdeen, ID CER-2016-026

Efficacy (% reduction relative to UTC) indicated for each treatment.

a

b

b b

Four applications on a 14-day interval by ATV-mounted R&D spray boom delivering 25 GPA at 30 psi through 2 nozzles/row. RAUDPC = Relative Area Under the Disease Progress Curve.

Potato Early Blight

LG replaced 2 fungicide apps

Potato Late Blight

5%

73%

65%

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

Untreatedcheck

LIFEGARD3 oz/A

FungicideFull rate

LIFEGARD3 oz +

Fungicide1/2 rate

AUDPC

a a

b b

Rock Springs, PA CER-2012-035

Efficacy (% reduction vs. UTC) indicated for each treatment.

• 5 weekly applications by tractor-mounted side boom sprayer (45 GPA at 30 psi, 3 nozzles/row).

• Natural infection augmented by artificial inoculation with P. infestans (US-23).

• Although not effective alone, LifeGard replaced half of total fungicide when used in tank mix, without loss of efficacy.

99%

68%

92% 0

20

40

60

80

100

Untreatedcheck

Standardfungicide(8 apps)

Standardfungicide(4 apps)

Std fung.alt.

LIFEGARD1.25 oz

(4 apps ea.)

Final foliar blight severity (%)

Clarksville, MI CER-2013-044

a

c

b

c

• Weekly applications by ATV-mounted spray boom (25 GPA at 80 psi, 3 nozzles/row).

• Artificially inoculated with P. infestans (US-22).

• LifeGard alt. std. fungicide was as effective as full fungicide program. Reduced fungicide program w/o LifeGard was not.

½ frequency (no LG)

• 7 applications at 14d intervals with hooded boom sprayer (50 GPA pre- & 100 GPA post-bloom).

• LifeGard applied at 4.5 oz/100 gal (107 cfu/ml).

• Disease severity evaluated on 20 fruit clusters at harvest.

• LifeGard was as efficacious in stand-alone applications as a grower’s standard fungicide program.

• Reducing frequency of fungicide application by alternating with LifeGard resulted in the same efficacy as the full fungicide program. Reducing fungicide frequency without LifeGard resulted in more disease.

a

c bc

b

bc

0

20

40

60

80

Untreatedcheck

LIFEGARDonly

(7 apps)

LIFEGARD(4 apps)

alt. Std Fung.(3 apps)

Standardfungicides(4 apps)

Full fungicideprogram(7 apps)

Final disease severity on fruit (%) - Chardonnay variety

Geneva, NY CER-2015-095

99% 90% 67%

86%

Grape Downy Mildew

Efficacy (% reduction vs. UTC) indicated for each treatment.

Reduced freq. (no LifeGard)

63% 67%

0

20

40

60

80

100

Untreatedcheck

Fung 2 (ADG)Blockade (BEH)

Fung 1 (CF)

Fung 2 (ADG)LIFEGARD (BEH)

Fung 1 (CF)

Head Lettuce - AUDPC

Guadalupe, CA CER-2013-014

• Weekly appl. by CO2 backpack (40 - 50 GPA, 3 nozzles).

• Products and rates per acre: LifeGard (BmJ): 2.25 oz (107 cfu/ml) Blockade* (acibenzolar-S-methyl): 0.75 oz

• LifeGard performed similar to Blockade in a rotation with standard fungicides.

Downy Mildew in Leafy Veg

a

ab

b b

0

5

10

15

20

Untreatedcheck

Fung 1 (AC)Fung 2 (BD)Fung 3 (E)

LIFEGARD (AE)Fung 2 (BD)Fung 1 (C)

LIFEGARD(ACE)

Fung 2 (B)Fung 1 (D)

Spinach - Final severity (%) 12 DAA5

Guadalupe, CA CER-2012-071

24%

39% 44%

Efficacy (% reduction relative to UTC) indicated for each treatment.

• Weekly appl. by CO2 backpack (40 - 50 GPA, 3 nozzles).

• Inclusion of LifeGard in rotation with standard fungicides resulted in improved disease control with fewer total fungicide applications.

*Blockade® is a registered trademarks of Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc.