Biofungicides produced using liquid culture tech

摘要

Researchers from the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have developed a method for producing biofungicides through liquid culture fermentation. Biopesticidal fungi such as Isaria spp and Metarhizium spp are usually grown on a solid substrate. The new method uses bioreactor fermentation technology and reduces production costs by 80-90% while increasing fungal spore yields, the researchers say. One of the biggest contributors to the cuts in costs has been the substitution of soybean flour or cottonseed meal for much more expensive hydrolysed proteins derived from casein as a nitrogen source. The saving can be as much as 95%.