#Bacillus Thuringiensis

[novobacwilting]

Bacillus thuringiensis: "Eco-Friendly Pest Management: The Impact of Bacillus thuringiensis"

Eco-Friendly Pest Management: The Impact of Bacillus thuringiensis

As the world moves toward more sustainable and environmentally conscious farming practices, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has gained recognition as a powerful biological tool in pest management. This naturally occurring bacterium has been widely adopted for its ability to control a variety of insect pests while minimizing the impact on the environment. In this blog, we will explore the role of Bt in eco-friendly pest control and its growing importance in modern agriculture.

What is Bacillus thuringiensis?

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a species of soil-dwelling bacteria that produces proteins toxic to certain insects. Since its discovery in the early 20th century, Bt has become one of the most extensively used biopesticides worldwide. It is effective against a wide range of insect pests, including caterpillars, beetles, and mosquitoes, and is often used as a safer alternative to chemical insecticides.

How Does Bt Work?

The insecticidal action of Bt comes from its production of crystal (Cry) proteins, which are toxic to specific groups of insects. When insects consume Bt spores, these proteins bind to receptors in their gut lining, causing cell lysis and ultimately killing the insect. The specificity of Bt ensures that it only affects targeted pests, leaving beneficial insects and other organisms unharmed.

Targeting Major Agricultural Pests

One of the main reasons for Bt's widespread use in agriculture is its effectiveness against major crop pests, particularly caterpillars, which can cause severe damage to crops like corn, cotton, and vegetables. Bt formulations are applied as sprays or introduced into genetically modified (GM) crops that produce Bt toxins, providing continuous protection from pest damage.

Reducing Chemical Pesticide Use

Bt has played a crucial role in reducing the reliance on chemical pesticides, which can have harmful effects on ecosystems and human health. Unlike conventional insecticides, which may affect a broad range of organisms, Bt offers a targeted approach that reduces the risks of pest resistance, soil contamination, and harm to beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies. This shift toward biopesticides like Bt is essential for promoting sustainable agriculture.

Applications in Organic Farming

One of the key advantages of Bt is its suitability for organic farming. Because it is derived from a natural source and does not persist in the environment, Bt is permitted in organic production systems. Organic farmers often use Bt-based products to control pests like cabbage loopers, tomato hornworms, and Colorado potato beetles without resorting to synthetic chemicals.

Addressing Pest Resistance

While Bt is highly effective, one of the challenges it faces is the development of pest resistance, particularly in GM crops. To address this, farmers are encouraged to use Bt as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy. This involves rotating crops, using different biopesticides, and implementing other cultural practices to reduce the likelihood of resistance development.

Conclusion

Bacillus thuringiensis has transformed pest management by offering an eco-friendly, targeted, and effective alternative to chemical insecticides. As a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture, Bt has helped reduce the environmental impact of farming while ensuring the protection of crops from damaging pests. As the need for environmentally friendly solutions grows, Bt will continue to play a critical role in shaping the future of pest control.

[cplconsult-com]

CPL's daily case study on tumblr.... CPL Business Consultants analysed the European markets for Bacillus thuringiensis, pheromones, hypovirulent pathogens and other biopesticides

[peptechbioscience321]

Peptech: Innovating Sustainable Pest Management with Bacillus Thuringiensis

Peptech Biosciences Ltd leverages the natural efficacy of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) as a biopesticide in agriculture. Bt, a bacterium with insecticidal properties, is strategically formulated by Peptech Bio for enhanced pest control. The specificity of Bt to certain pests aligns seamlessly with sustainable farming practices, and Peptech Bio pioneers diverse formulations, including sprays and granules, tailored for different applications. The company promotes Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies, strategically deploying Bt preventively. Peptech Bio prioritizes resistance management, incorporating practices to delay resistance development. Safety and environmental harmony are paramount in Peptech Bio's formulations, ensuring the well-being of humans, animals, and beneficial insects. The introduction of innovative commercial varieties by Peptech Bio underscores its commitment to advancing the potential of Bacillus thuringiensis, establishing itself as a leader in revolutionizing pest management for sustainable agriculture.

[peptechbio]

Bacillus thuringiensis is a naturally occurring bacterium extensively employed in the agriculture industry. Recognized for its insecticidal properties, Bacillus thuringiensis produces protein crystals toxic to specific pests. When incorporated into crops, it offers targeted and environmentally friendly pest control, minimizing the need for conventional chemical insecticides. This biologically derived solution is highly effective against a range of harmful insects, while posing minimal risk to non-target organisms and ecosystems. Bacillus thuringiensis's integration in agriculture supports sustainable pest management strategies, promoting reduced chemical usage, increased crop yield, and preservation of beneficial insects.

[innspubnet]

Impact of abamectin, Bacillus thuriengiensis and Neem oil extract on Aphis gossypii glover and Bemissia tabaci pests of the watermelon in Dschang | IJAAR

Author Name ES. Djomaha And SJ. Mameyong Nialepa Laboratory of Phytopathology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Science, University of Dschang, Cameroon Journal Name International Journal of Agronomy and Agricultural Research | IJAAR Abstract A study on the control of watermelon pests was conducted in the Western region of Cameroon.…

[tenth-sentence]

Bt toxin interferes with a receptor found only in the larval gut of certain insects, eventually killing them.

"Plant Physiology and Development" int'l 6e - Taiz, L., Zeiger, E., Møller, I.M., Murphy, A.

[zhejiangshuangzi]

Bacillus Thuringiensis Fermentation System

Bacillus thuringiensis, also known as Bacillus thuringiensis, is produced on a large scale in fermentation tanks and made into powder or wettable agents, liquid agents, and microbial insecticides used to control agricultural, forestry, grain storage pests, and some health pests.

Company Name:Zhejiang Shuangzi Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd Web:https://www.sun-intelligent.com/product/biofermentation-project/bacillus-thuringiensis-fermentation-system.html ADD:Tianhe Road 7th,Yuhang Economic Development Zone,Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China Phone:86-18257152999 Email:alice@sunjx.com Tip:310000 Profile:Zhejiang Shuangzi Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd is a professional biology and medical equipment enterprise that takes the EPC/EPCM as the core and focuses on process technology and automation engineering design, equipment manufacture, matching purchase, installation, equipment system integration etc in the field of plant extraction, biological fermentation, pharamaceutical engineering, natural food, energy conservation and environment protection etc.

[tangsons-biotech2]

Plant Wilting Points: Transient and Permanent Limits

Wilting is a common problem in crop plantations and vegetation. You have seen it lots of times while passing through parks and forests: the brownish color of leaves is called wilting.

Wilting is a state in which a seedling loses its capability to absorb an adequate quantity of water and finally reaches a dry state.

It has two ranges: transient, temporary, and permanent. If a plant approaches temporary wilting, it is revocable from this state by special conditioning, but if it crosses the bare minimum limit range, nothing can save it, which is called permanent wilting.

Agrarians have various modernized techniques to avoid the stage of wilting by embracing technologies, soil monitoring tools, and leveraging satellite imagery to assess the condition of a plant. This comprehensive article will guide you through everything about wilting in order to take suitable preventive measures for organic crop protection.

Definition of the Wilting Point

If a plant receives adequate soil moisture, it stays healthy; otherwise, it approaches the stage of wilting. Plant experts have defined a wilting point: if soil moisture drops below this limit, a plant starts to wilt, either temporarily or permanently.

Wilting Point (Ratio)

The wilting point or ratio is a value of moisture content with respect to the dry earth's weight or volume. The percentage expression of the dry weight or volume is called the wilting coefficient.

The wilting point or ratio correlates with many essential factors, including

Moisture content is available throughout the soil profile.

Soil and air temperatures

Criteria of transpiration.

Osmotic stress due to soil salinity.

Soil type, porosity, texture, compaction, and structure

Difference between Transient and Permanent Wilting

Transient wilting is a kind of temporary phase in plants. If farmers include soil conditioning and offer them enough soil moisture, they will come back to their initial state.

However, permanent wilting is the complete opposite of the former. It is a stage in which the lowest possible quantity of moisture is available in plants and the wilting is completely irreversible, even after replenishing soil moisture contents.

Drooping is a part of permanent wilting in which the transportation of water from roots to leaves halts in the plant. Other symptoms of permanent wilting in the plant Limit photosynthesis and transpiration by lessening the opening of stomata pores and stomata turgor pressure.

Reasons for Wilting State in Plants

Multiple reasons for wilting in plants, but here we discuss only suitable ones.

Insects or pests are responsible for leading plants towards wilting by absorbing their juices or saps, even their water, and leaving them in a stage of dryness.

Kill these pests or insects by administering and spraying Bacillus Thuringiensis pesticide in the roots and leaves of the plant to deter their activities.

[bunjywunjy]

Trick or treat!

you get BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS

[x 100000000000]

[novobacwilting]

Cultivating Resilient Tomato Crops: Harnessing the Power of Trichoderma Harzianum for Effective Fusarium Wilt Management

The development of resilient tomato crops is a very complex process and it depends not only on the selection of the correct varieties and ensuring an optimal growing environment, but also on applying proper disease management programs. Among all the relentless pests that could harm tomato health, fusarium wilt is one of the deadliest. A large portion of the crop base may be lost and productivity be severely impacted. Nevertheless, the biological control methods that have been introduced recently have created new avenues for sustainable agriculture, and amongst those weather the flame is Trichoderma harzianum fungicide.

Another friendly fungus kingdom Trichoderma harzianum might be a better option for the management of fusarium wilt in tomato cultivation. Its mode of action is multifaceted: it creates secondary metabolites able to prevent the fungus growth, reproduction, and their capabilities to colonize which is caused by Fusarium. It additionally efforts its intense parasitism, hence it pierces the cell walls of the pathogenic bacteria that in turn limits their threat. In addition, it fights pathogens and stimulates plant immune system, which promotes the crops' natural defense. Such double approach does not only inhibit the on-going diseases but also guarantee a good health and the vitality of the plants.

The mainland information of this source is that Trichoderma harzianum is a strong biological control agent that helps adjusting the growth of the plants and makes them less susceptible to damage. This plant acts by producing secondary metabolites that stop fungal infections from progressing, it does so by secreting enzymes that are able to destroy the fungal cells and by stimulating the plant itself to defend itself. This also checks soil-borne diseases and enforces root-extension that improves nutrient intake and better crop quality hence better yield. As for the best use suggest an application of 1.5 until 3 kg per acre, with a follow-up done after approx. 10 – 12 weeks and using various methods such as broadcast application or root irrigation.

The advantages of Trichoderma harzianum are for both the sustainable agricultural production and the environment is numerous. It effectively kills the soil-borne disease, improves the expansion of roots, and creates the plant's ability to suck up and hold onto moisture and nutrients. This leads to an increase in crop quality and also yield. The negative impact of the chemical fungicides is exerted and this explains the risks. Also, Trichoderma harzianum is reported to improve soil quality over time, which in turn makes ongoing agriculture sustainable by keeping away prevalent problems of resistance and residual toxicity and thereby delaying the loss of efficiency of the cure.

Trichoderma harzianum can be utilized wherever the plants can be grown and can be adopted easily in different of agricultural practices For best performance, the best practice is to apply it 1.5–3 kg /acre (it is a common practice to do the application by intervals for long-term protection), with a subsequent one after 10–12 weeks. It may be applied through different techniques like med (“spraying”), plots (“incorporating”, etc.). Of utmost importance is the preliminary cleaning of application equipment in order to remove the last remnants of previous pesticides. Certainly the solution must be well mixed and stored in the range of pH and temperature that allows optimum efficiency.

In the pursuit of better surviving tomato plants, the smart method of the use of Trichoderma harzianum can be a way of applying nature services. This kind of innovation offers agricultural sector protection, healthy crops, and improved yields, while at the same time the environment gets benefitted through sustainability makes what could be great steps on the way to resilient as well as green agriculture.

[libraryofmoths]

Moth of the Week

Red-Belted Clearwing

Synanthedon myopaeformis

Image Source

The red-belted clearwing is a part of the family Sesiidae. It was first described in 1789 by Moritz Balthasar Borkhausen as Sphinx myopaeformis. This was later changed to Synanthedon myopaeformis. This moth is called the red-belted clearwing in Europe, the apple clearwing moth in North America, and the apple borer. This is due to their tendency to damage their host apple trees. It is considered a pest in Europe.

They may be confused with the large red-belted clearwing and the red-tipped clearwing.

Description This moth has a thin, dark blue, segmented body. The body is hairless aside from a bushy tail at the end of the abdomen. They are noticeable due to a bright red-orange band on one of the segments of the abdomen. The wings are clear with a dark outline and veins and a fringe on the outer margin (outer edge). The wings help distinguish the red-belted clearwing from the large red-belted and red-tipped clearwings as the wings have no red-orange markings.

Wingspan Range: 1.8 - 2.8 cm (≈0.71 - 1.1 in)

Diet and Habitat This species eats mainly apple, specifically Crab Apple (Malus sylvestris), as well as Pear (Pryus communis), Hawthorn (Crateagus monogyna), Almond (Prunus dulcis), Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), apricots, cherries, mountain ash, peaches, plums, and quince. In Canada, adult moths have been attracted to the flowers of the snowy milkweed.

They can be found natively in Europe, North Africa, and Asia Minor. This species was noticed to North America and first detected in Canada in 2005. They inhabit well established orchards and gardens, hedgerows, open woodland, and mature scrub.

Mating Adults emerge from their cocoons in early summer and on flight from May to August, this is presumably their mating season. Females can lay up to 250 eggs, usually singly in the cracks or damaged areas of the trunk and branches they are hosting in. Females attract males with pheromones released from glands. A 2010 study found that 3,13-octadecadienyl acetate is the primary sex hormone.

Predators The larvae of this moth are preyed on by parasites, fungi, and bacteria. The main parasite of red-belted clearwing larvae is Liotryphan crassiseta. Other parasites are Nematodes, Steinernema sp. The fungi Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium brunneum are common causes of death in larvae as well as the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis.

Fun Fact

The adult red-belted clearwings are significantly less active on cold days compared to warm days.

In 2014, Judd and Eby found that S. myopaeformis does not discriminate between yellow, green and white or between purple, blue, red, and black. This suggests that they are dichromatic, meaning they can perceive mainly two colors. This affected traps set to catch this species as they acted differently depending on the light reflected.

As this species is considered a pest to apple trees, people have attempted to control the population. This has been tried with pheromone/mating disruption, pheromone laced traps, other chemical traps, the use of predators/enemies, and the covering of apple tree trunks in oil.

(Source: Wikipedia [1][2][3], Butterfly Conservation, Michigan State University)

[emptylotfiasco]

My favorite David Dees artwork. My man has beef with Bacillus thuringiensis 😭

some of the brightest minds of our generation are also the craziest... just look at those petri dishes and microscope slides... he knew what he was doing. david dees believes gmo corn will grow three sets of teeth and attack us but has anyone ever asked if hes right

[pancakeke]

I was looking up insecticides and came across a reddit thread where someone was like "I used neem oil, clove oil, cinnamon, and vinegar but nothing works :("

which drives INSANE. influencer brained essential oil fanatics who do not understand the scope of organic products need to do like an extremely basic google search into this shit because there are plenty of natural/organic insecticides that actually work.

Spinosad

This is a natural compound made from fermented bacteria (saccharopolyspora spinosa) and kills ants, fruit flies, leafminers, mites, mosquitoes, spider mites, and thrips. This comes in a spray and a dust.

Bacillus thuringiensis and its subspecies.

This is a species of bacteria that can control a wide range of pests depending on which subspecies you use.

Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (BTi) is used to kill the larvae of flies, mosquitos, and fungus gnats. This is the bacteria used in Mosquito Bits** granules and can also be purchased as a spray or dust.

Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (BTk) kills wormy type pests like gypsy moth caterpillars, tomato hornworms, cabbage worms, cabbage loopers, cutworms, and leaf rollers. It will kill non-pest caterpillars though so be careful with this one. This comes in a spray.

Bacillus thuringiensis var. san diego works for certain beetles/weevils but not all. Look up a list to see what it's effective against if you have a beetle problem.

There are other ones but idk if they're really commercially available.

**I see people applying Mosquito Bits ineffectively all the time and then they assume the product doesn't work. Don't just sprinkle the bits onto your soil (they aren't effective unless the bacteria is well washed off and allowed to permeate the surrounding soil, plus they eventually decompose and mold).

Fill a clear pitcher with water and add a tablespoon or two of bits. let them soak for 30 mins, stir, and then use that water for your plants. This ensures an even distribution of the bacteria over the plant's soil. If you retain like 1/8 of the pitcher of water and fill it back up you can get several applications out of your spoon of bits. dump the spent bits and replace with fresh ones once the water in your pitcher gets too clear.

There's other stuff that can work for specific insects in specific environments (inorganic dusts, sticky traps, utilizing beneficial predators like chickens, wild birds, or wasps) but they have enough drawbacks that I wouldn't recommend those things without knowing your exact situation.

Be extremely wary of any DIY/home made "insecticides". At best their effectiveness is deceptive (the "insecticide" does nothing but through its application you are mechanically removing pests by washing or wiping them away), and at worst they may cause harm to your plants.

Lastly, never put any kind oil on your plants. It doesn't matter what people say about neem. Plants breathe through pores in their leaves and oil covers those pores up.

[peptechbio]

BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS: NATURE’S PRECISE PEST CONTROL SOLUTION I PBL

Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Bt kurstaki) is a naturally occurring soil bacterium used as a biological pesticide. It produces toxins that specifically target and control various caterpillar pests, making it a valuable tool in organic and sustainable agriculture. Bt kurstaki products are environmentally friendly and safe for non-target organisms, making them an effective and selective solution for pest management. Read More

To delve deeper into Bacillus thuringiensis, we invite you to explore our latest blog post by clicking on the link below:

[vibinwiththefrogs]

What's the Deal with Cotton?

For @rangerofthesouth , I don't work with cotton but we just went over all this in my field crop class and how we grow cotton feels very bizarre? Keep reading below for stuff on GMOs and cotton farming.

As far as I can tell cotton is probably one of the most technology-intensive crops we grow in the US. Not necessarily physical technology as in equipment, but gene technology (GMOs), breeding, and chemical use. It has all the standard things used on it that other industrial row crops have, such as herbicides, fertilizers, and pesticides. But it also has GMO traits and needs to be treated with plant growth regulators (PGRs), and defoliant before harvest.

So it turns out, cotton is a perennial plant. So if the weather is right it will just keep growing into something of a bush/tree sort of thing. But when grown as a crop they get treated with PGRs to slow/stop vegetative growth and to trigger reproductive growth (aka, the flowers that form into cotton bolls). Link to a picture of a guy with cotton not treated with PGRs on time below.

There's multiple kinds of GMOs. The big ones are traits added for herbicide/chemical resistance in the plant (such as Roundup Ready), and then there's pest resistance which usually is the Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) trait. Bt is a bacteria that will infect insects if they feed on the plant, killing them off or deterring them. As far as I'm aware the big GMO crops in the US are soybeans, corn, and cotton; As well please note cotton production is very different across the world, I'm strictly speaking about the US.

What kind of crazy about pest resistant GMOs though, is it was touted around as an end to pesticides for a while. There was a quote I heard somewhere though that goes something like "if you're in a war and you have weaponry but the other side has evolution, the other side is going to win". Basically, insects started developing a resistance to Bt. And so different types of Bt traits keep getting stacked on one another to keep it effective, and currently we're up to 3 stacked Bt traits (see chart below, its from my class lol). Only the upper most trait on this chart is still effective, the others aren't.

What's nuts about this, is that cotton farmers are paying for every stacked gene even if they're ineffective. According to my prof a bag of conventional untreated cotton seed is ~$100, while GMO cotton is ~$600 a bag. The price of cotton off the field is really bad too, as far as I last heard its $0.70/1 lb. There's more numbers than this but as you can imagine with chemical applications, gas for equipment, and fertilizer, its looking not profitable. And so the US cotton industry is hella subsidized and there's so many government programs to keep it alive because many farmers cannot survive growing cotton without the subsidies.

I don't know a whole lot other than this because I've only just begun looking at cotton, but here's some questions and things I'm thinking about. First, clearly we need a whole system change because everything conventional ag brings out to stop the pests and weeds causes resistance development; chemicals and genes are helpful technologies, but only when used carefully within other non-chemical pest management strategies. We're currently deepening a major environmental and agricultural crisis with ag chemical usage. Second, I really want to look more into the legal side of things with government crop subsidies and insurance because it really seems to be the core things propping up all this for multiple crops (corn and soybeans included). And then, what would cotton look like in an alternative agricultural system? Personally I've only ever seen it as a conventional row crop.