Biotech Breakthroughs | PinoyEcoFarmer

Jun 25

I came across products developed by scientists of Biotech UP Los Banos in Laguna which I think are very useful in farming and other applications.

Above: Taken from BioLife (Quarterly Magazine of Biotechnology) Vol1 No2 April-June 2005 Issue

Commercially-available products

• BIO-N-microbial inoculants for sustainable rice and corn production

• Mycogroe – mycorrhizal tablet for reforestation species like eucalyptus and pines.

• Mykovam – soil-based biofertilizer containing vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza (VAM) fungi used for reforestation species, fruit trees and agricultural crops

• NitoPlus – rhizobial inoculants for legumes like mungbean, soybean, peanut and crowpea

• Bio-Green and Cocorich – bio-organic fertilizer derived form farm and industrial wastes composted by selected Trichoderma strains and enriched with nitrogen-fixing bacteria

• Cocogro – mixture of plant growth hormones from coconut water that can be applied to orchids, flowering plants and ornamentals

• BIO-HS vaccine – vaccine used to immunize young cows and carabaos against hemorrhagic septicemia

• Locally – isolated yeast strain for increased alcohol production

• Plant diagnostic kits using monoclonal antibodies to diagnose specific plants caused by viruses

Mature technologies/products

(These are the technologies that satisfy the following criteria: have been field- or market-tested; feasibility/market studies have been conducted; target beneficiaries can already avail themselves of the products/services; and are available for early commercialization)

• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based detection kit used to detect specific bacterial pathogens or microorganisms in food in a shorter period of time

• Microbial rennet-milk coagulant derived from a fungal microorganism and used in cheese making

• Cellulase – enzyme used in coconut oil extraction, ethanol production and as feed additive

• Proteases- enzymes produced from Bacillus sp. Used as bread improver, feed additive and in coconut oil production

• Lipase- enzyme that hydrolyzes coconut oil to produce high value products such as bmonoglyceride, glycerol and fatty acids

• Pectinase- food enzyme used in juice and wine clarification, oil extraction from freshly grated coconut and essential oil extraction

• Pelmictrol- microbial insecticide against mosquito larvae containing the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt)

• Bactrolep- microbial insecticide containing Bt found highly toxic against Asiatic corn borer and diamond backmoth

• Monoclonal antibody-based kits that detect plant fungal, viral and bacterial diseases, mycotoxins and red tide toxins from mussels and other shellfishes

• Mass propagation of orchids through tissue culture which can significantly benefit the cutflower industry

• Vaccine against Haemophilus paragallina– rum developed to protect against coryza disease

• Microbial pesticide containing nucleopoly– hedro virus (NPV) used to control the major onion pest the common cutworm or Harabas.

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What caught my attention though was a product which controls mosquito population -Pelmictrol. Mosquitoes are prevalent during the rainy season and it poses a very real threat as carriers of dengue. I had a very personal encounter with dengue when my nephew was struck with it during a vacation with us. This is the reason why I was constantly searching for a way to get rid of mosquitoes within our premises to protect ourselves from the threat of dengue. I have a small fishpond at home which could be a breeding ground. Other controls that I know will definitely harm my fish.

Pelmictrol works by killing the larvae of mosquitoes. The active ingridient is subs. morissoni. The powder is spread directly in stagnant water but may also be used in running water. It comes in packets of 15 grams. I obtained a packet for P20 from Dr. Joy Zarate of Biotech during a recent gathering among rarefruiters.

Above: The Pelmictrol 15 grams packet