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** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** CONVENTIONAL AGROCHEMICALS (E.G., ANTIBIOTICS AND SYNTHETIC PESTICIDES) ADVERSELY IMPACT THE ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT, AND HUMAN HEALTH DUE TO SIGNIFICANT SPRAY LOSS AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE EMERGENCE. BIOPESTICIDES HAVE EMERGED AS AN ALTERNATIVE STRATEGY TO CONVENTIONAL AGROCHEMICALS. HOWEVER, THEIR REAL-WORLD PERFORMANCE REMAINS WEAK, RESULTING IN A LOW MARKET SHARE. THIS IS DUE TO THEIR INSTABILITY UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS AND SIGNIFICANT SPRAY LOSS AND RUNOFF FROM HYDROPHOBIC PLANT SURFACES. THE GOAL OF THIS INTEGRATED PROJECT IS TO ENHANCE THE BIOCIDAL EFFICACY OF BIOPESTICIDES BY IMPROVING THEIR STABILITY UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS AND TO REDUCE SPRAY LOSS AND RUNOFF BY IMPROVING DROP RETENTION ON HYDROPHOBIC PLANT SURFACES, THEREBY PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES. SPECIFIC RESEARCH OBJECTIVES ARE: 1) DEVELOP BIO-BASED MICROCARRIERS FOR ENCAPSULATING MICROBIAL AND BIOCHEMICAL PESTICIDES TO ENHANCE BIOPESTICIDE STABILITY UNDER SIMULATED FIELD CONDITIONS; 2) ENGINEER BIO-BASED MICROCARRIERS WITH ORGANIC-CERTIFIED SURFACTANT TO ENHANCE BIOPESTICIDE DELIVERY AND RETENTION ON HYDROPHOBIC PLANT SURFACES; 3) DEMONSTRATE THE ENHANCED BIOCIDAL EFFICACY OF NEW BIOPESTICIDE FORMULATIONS AGAINST FIRE BLIGHT IN GREENHOUSE AND FIELD TRIALS; AND 4) ASSESS BIOPESTICIDE KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES AMONG STAKEHOLDERS AND CONSUMERS, AND OFFER TRAININGS FOR STUDENTS AND INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS. SUCCESS IN THIS PROJECT WILL PROMOTE THE DEPLOYMENT OF THESE BIOPESTICIDES, OFFERING ENHANCED FUNCTIONALITY AND STABILITY FOR MANAGING PLANT DISEASES IN ORGANIC PRODUCTION AND PROVIDING SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES TO ANTIBIOTICS AND SYNTHETIC PESTICIDES COMMONLY USED IN CONVENTIONAL PRODUCTION. THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF THIS RESEARCH IS IN SUPPORT OF PROGRAM AREA GOALS TO DEVELOP BIO-BASED PRODUCTS THAT IMPROVE PRODUCT FUNCTIONALITY, INCREASE POTENTIAL REVENUES AND/OR REDUCE COST OVER INCUMBENT PRODUCTS.

$999,591FY2024National Institute of Food and AgricultureUSDA

Washington State University, Pullman WA

Investigators

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** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** CONVENTIONAL AGROCHEMICALS (E.G., ANTIBIOTICS AND SYNTHETIC PESTICIDES) ADVERSELY IMPACT THE ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT, AND HUMAN HEALTH DUE TO SIGNIFICANT SPRAY LOSS AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE EMERGENCE. BIOPESTICIDES HAVE EMERGED AS AN ALTERNATIVE STRATEGY TO CONVENTIONAL AGROCHEMICALS. HOWEVER, THEIR REAL-WORLD PERFORMANCE REMAINS WEAK, RESULTING IN A LOW MARKET SHARE. THIS IS DUE TO THEIR INSTABILITY UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS AND SIGNIFICANT SPRAY LOSS AND RUNOFF FROM HYDROPHOBIC PLANT SURFACES. THE GOAL OF THIS INTEGRATED PROJECT IS TO ENHANCE THE BIOCIDAL EFFICACY OF BIOPESTICIDES BY IMPROVING THEIR STABILITY UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS AND TO REDUCE SPRAY LOSS AND RUNOFF BY IMPROVING DROP RETENTION ON HYDROPHOBIC PLANT SURFACES, THEREBY PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES. SPECIFIC RESEARCH OBJECTIVES ARE: 1) DEVELOP BIO-BASED MICROCARRIERS FOR ENCAPSULATING MICROBIAL AND BIOCHEMICAL PESTICIDES TO ENHANCE BIOPESTICIDE STABILITY UNDER SIMULATED FIELD CONDITIONS; 2) ENGINEER BIO-BASED MICROCARRIERS WITH ORGANIC-CERTIFIED SURFACTANT TO ENHANCE BIOPESTICIDE DELIVERY AND RETENTION ON HYDROPHOBIC PLANT SURFACES; 3) DEMONSTRATE THE ENHANCED BIOCIDAL EFFICACY OF NEW BIOPESTICIDE FORMULATIONS AGAINST FIRE BLIGHT IN GREENHOUSE AND FIELD TRIALS; AND 4) ASSESS BIOPESTICIDE KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES AMONG STAKEHOLDERS AND CONSUMERS, AND OFFER TRAININGS FOR STUDENTS AND INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS. SUCCESS IN THIS PROJECT WILL PROMOTE THE DEPLOYMENT OF THESE BIOPESTICIDES, OFFERING ENHANCED FUNCTIONALITY AND STABILITY FOR MANAGING PLANT DISEASES IN ORGANIC PRODUCTION AND PROVIDING SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES TO ANTIBIOTICS AND SYNTHETIC PESTICIDES COMMONLY USED IN CONVENTIONAL PRODUCTION. THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF THIS RESEARCH IS IN SUPPORT OF PROGRAM AREA GOALS TO DEVELOP BIO-BASED PRODUCTS THAT IMPROVE PRODUCT FUNCTIONALITY, INCREASE POTENTIAL REVENUES AND/OR REDUCE COST OVER INCUMBENT PRODUCTS. · GrantIndex