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H2020 SFS-04-2019-2020: Integrated health approaches and alternatives to pesticide use. Looking for coordinator and partners active in microbiological, biochemical and ecological research

Country of Origin: Armenia
Reference Number: RDAM20181210001
Publication Date: 21 December 2018

Summary

Armenian R&D organization  active in the field of biotechnology   involved in the development of the technology for obtaining biologically active compounds, is going to submit project proposal under  H2020-SFS-2018-2020 call. The project proposes melaninogenic strains Bacillus thuringiensis to obtain bioinsecticidal preparation and bacterial melanin that are safe for the environment.  The organization is looking for  partners active in  microbiological, biochemical and ecological research.

Description

The use of increasing dosage of mineral fertilizers and pesticides for agricultural productivity has resulted in hazardous environmental contamination.
The pesticides used in agriculture and forestry are toxic not only for pests, but also for humans, animals, birds, fishes and even for useful insects and this can lead to hazardous environmental contamination.
Currently the use of biological insecticides, which are completely free of specific drawbacks of chemical control and simultaneously have special target effect on pests, is the most efficient and environmentally safest measure against pests for the protection of plants.
Based on insecticidal strains Bacillus thuringiensis the obtained melanin-synthesizing mutants retain their insecticide activity.
The technologies for obtaining both bacterial melanin (BM) and bioinsecticidal preparation on the basis of the obtained melaninogenic strains have been developed. The safety of BM and bioinsecticidal preparations to environment has been demonstrated. The investigation of BM properties has indicated its biological high activity. The experiments of in vivo and in vitro systems implemented on various plants (vegetables, melons, wood, ornamental plants, etc.) have resulted in the confirmation that it is a plant growth stimulator of auxin-like effect.
In comparison with other applied growth stimulators BM surpasses them in a number of properties: it is water-soluble, rapidly decomposes in the soil, has prolonged effect, is efficient in very low concentrations and is low cost, which have become a prerequisite for its application as a growth stimulator on various plants.
One of the characteristic signs of melanin is its photoprotective activity, which protects the spores and crystals of insecticide strains from damaging effects of UV-radiation and insolation.
The experiments in laboratory and field conditions on various agricultural pests (gold-beetle, cabbage and apple moths, goldtail, potato beetle, etc.), as well as on several types of mosquitoes (including malarial mosquitoes) have shown that the insecticidal activity of the obtained melaninogenic mutants B. thuringiensis distinctly increases as compared to the parent strains.
The obtained BM and bioinsecticidal preparations are highly effective and are low cost.
The proposed project aimed at the use of the obtained melaninogenic highly efficient insecticidal strains with a wide spectrum of action on pests and study of the effect of bacterial insecticidal preparations on the microflora and enzymatic activity of soils after spraying. The development of fermentative media is also important to obtain BM and insecticide preparation containing cheap raw materials.
Simultaneous synthesis of two biologically active substances - melanin and insecticidal toxins in a single strain will provide the profitability of their production, as well as future commercial success of these preparations for their application in agriculture.
Already formed consortium includes one SME partner from Greece,who will be in charge of testing the obtained biological active compound on various vegetable cultures.
The official deadline for the call is 23th January, 2019. The deadline for expressions of interests is 21st December, 2018. The duration of the Project is 3 years.

The consortium is looking for Coordinator and partners from R&D institutions and SMEs specialized in the field microbiological, biochemical and ecological research to study the effect of bioinsecticidal preparation on plants and estimate its bio-safety for environment, to work on the identification of insect pests subjected to the effect of bioinsecticidal preparations based on melaninogenic strains B.thuringiensis.

Advantages and Innovations

Based on insecticidal strains Bacillus thuringiensis melanin-synthesizing mutants obtained by us retain their insecticide activity. 
The technologies for obtaining both bacterial melanin (BM) and bioinsecticidal preparation on the basis of the obtained melaninogenic strains have been developed. The safety of BM and bioinsecticidal preparations to environment has been demonstrated.
The experiments of in vivo and in vitro systems implemented on about 70 plants (vegetables, watermelons, wood, ornamental plants, etc.) have resulted in the confirmation that it is a plant growth stimulator (Fig. 1-7 in the attachment). BM significantly increased crop yield of plants (20-50%) and their resistance to environmental abiotic factors.
In comparison with other applied growth stimulators BM surpasses them in a number of properties: it is water-soluble, rapidly decomposes in the soil, has prolonged effect, is efficient in very low concentrations and is low cost.
One of the characteristic signs of melanin is its photoprotective activity, which protects the spores and crystals of insecticide strains from damaging effects of UV-radiation and insolation.
The results of experiments in laboratory and field conditions showed that the insecticidal activity of melaninogenic mutants of B. thuringiensis towards pests distinctly increased as compared to the parent strains due to the photoprotective effect of the synthesized melanin.
Simultaneous synthesis of two biologically active substances - melanin and insecticidal toxins in a single strain will provide the profitability of their production, as well as future commercial success of these preparations for their application in agriculture.

Expertise sought

R&D institutions and SMEs specialized in the field microbiological, biochemical and ecological research to work on  the identification of insect pests subjected to the effect of bioinsecticidal preparations based on melaninogenic strains B.thuringiensis.

Stage Of Development

Proposal under development

Requested partner

The organization is looking for  R&D institutions and SMEs  who would work on  the identification of insect pests subjected to the effect of bioinsecticidal preparations based on melaninogenic strains B.thuringiensis.
It is also in the research of ecological aspects after application of bioinsecticidal preparations on the basis of melaninogenic strains:
1. Determination of the shelf life of melaninogenic strains on plants and in soils after their use.
2. Determination of the effect of bioinsecticidal preparations on the microflora and enzymatic activity of soils after their use in a specific region.

Cooperation offer is closed for requests