Enhancing Performance of Bacillus Strains with BASF’s New Adjuvants Solutions

Abstract: Microbial biopesticides are a rapidly growing market, in part due to a favorable ecological profile when compared to conventional pesticides. However, microbial biopesticides efficacy is lower than synthetic pesticides. BASF concern to meet both needs, sustainable profile, and performance, introduces the new tank mix adjuvants Agnique® BioHance 100 and Agnique® BioHance 200 as a tank mix adjuvant designed to enhance the biopesticide mode of action to surpassing traditional synthetic benchmarks. In field trials, products containing Agnique® BioHance 200 at 0.5% %v/v concentration in combination with a biopesticide, outperformed the synthetic pesticide fenhexamid by inhibiting growth of strawberry gray mold. This significant breakthrough enables producers to leverage the microbial biopesticides with the favorable ecological profile while still protecting valuable crops from common pathogens. Both products contain TSCA (US) and DSL (Canada) listed components. Agnique® BioHance 100 contains components that are acceptable for organic operations, and the product may be eligible for listing under OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute). Agnique® BioHance 100 and Agnique® BioHance 200 also qualify for inclusion in EPA’s List of Trade Names of Inert Ingredients.

Remarkable boom on Microbiological biopesticides, but still room to growth

Tomato blight. Spinach downy mildew. Strawberry gray mold. Pumpkin powdery mildew. These common pathogens devastate crops and cause significant economic impact for the people depending on the crop’s survival. That includes farmers, distributers, retailers, and even consumers who see higher prices when supply doesn’t meet demand.

Microbial biopesticides are a rapidly growing market, in part because biopesticides tend to pose fewer risks when compared to synthetic pesticides.1 The US EPA outlines several advantages of biopesticides. Biopesticides usually show lower toxicity and a more selective mode of action than the conventional pesticides.2 Biopesticides are often effective in small quantities and decompose quickly and can significantly reduce the use of conventional pesticides when used as a component of Integrated Pest Management programs. 

One significant barrier in the biopesticide market is that microbial biopesticides are often less effective than synthetic pesticides when tasked with controlling medium and heavy pest pressures due to slower modes of action.