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Questions and Answers
What is the ideal Carbon-Nitrogen ratio (C:N) for the substrate in biocontrol agent production?
What is the ideal Carbon-Nitrogen ratio (C:N) for the substrate in biocontrol agent production?
Which of the following is not a factor considered to enhance mass production of biocontrol agents?
Which of the following is not a factor considered to enhance mass production of biocontrol agents?
What is one of the constraints regarding the handling of biocontrol agents?
What is one of the constraints regarding the handling of biocontrol agents?
Which application method involves coating the roots of seedlings with an antagonist?
Which application method involves coating the roots of seedlings with an antagonist?
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What must be carefully examined and labeled due to the short-term nature of biocontrol agents?
What must be carefully examined and labeled due to the short-term nature of biocontrol agents?
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What is the purpose of feeding trials in laboratory tests for biological control?
What is the purpose of feeding trials in laboratory tests for biological control?
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Which test assesses the development and survival rates of a biocontrol agent?
Which test assesses the development and survival rates of a biocontrol agent?
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What is the main goal of host range testing in biological control assessments?
What is the main goal of host range testing in biological control assessments?
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Why are greenhouse tests important in biological control research?
Why are greenhouse tests important in biological control research?
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What combination of agents was effective against diseases in greenhouse tests?
What combination of agents was effective against diseases in greenhouse tests?
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What characterizes field tests in biological control assessments?
What characterizes field tests in biological control assessments?
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After releasing a biocontrol agent, what is crucial to evaluate its impact?
After releasing a biocontrol agent, what is crucial to evaluate its impact?
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Which statement about Bacillus subtilis AP-01 is accurate based on the assessments?
Which statement about Bacillus subtilis AP-01 is accurate based on the assessments?
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What factors determine the efficacy of a biocontrol agent?
What factors determine the efficacy of a biocontrol agent?
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Which test method assesses microbial inhibition capabilities in a laboratory setting?
Which test method assesses microbial inhibition capabilities in a laboratory setting?
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What is the primary focus of dual culture tests in laboratory assessments?
What is the primary focus of dual culture tests in laboratory assessments?
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Under what conditions should microbial behavior affecting biocontrol be studied?
Under what conditions should microbial behavior affecting biocontrol be studied?
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Which method is NOT considered a laboratory test for establishing efficacy for biological control?
Which method is NOT considered a laboratory test for establishing efficacy for biological control?
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What type of microorganism was evaluated against Fusarium sp. in dual culture tests?
What type of microorganism was evaluated against Fusarium sp. in dual culture tests?
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What type of environmental factors can influence the efficacy of biocontrol agents?
What type of environmental factors can influence the efficacy of biocontrol agents?
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What specific effect does Trichoderma spp. have on Fusarium fujikuroi?
What specific effect does Trichoderma spp. have on Fusarium fujikuroi?
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What is the first step in the production sequence of biocontrol agents?
What is the first step in the production sequence of biocontrol agents?
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Which of the following is NOT a safety test required for biocontrol agents?
Which of the following is NOT a safety test required for biocontrol agents?
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During which step is genetic stability of biocontrol agents assessed?
During which step is genetic stability of biocontrol agents assessed?
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What is necessary for the viable inocula production of biocontrol agents?
What is necessary for the viable inocula production of biocontrol agents?
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Which of the following substrates was mentioned as suitable for mass production of antagonists?
Which of the following substrates was mentioned as suitable for mass production of antagonists?
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What temperature range is optimal for the physical growth conditions during mass production?
What temperature range is optimal for the physical growth conditions during mass production?
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Which step occurs after testing the stability and shelf-life of the biocontrol agent?
Which step occurs after testing the stability and shelf-life of the biocontrol agent?
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What was the primary method used to manage rice blast disease in Cambodia?
What was the primary method used to manage rice blast disease in Cambodia?
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What is considered a primary requirement to ensure effective mass production of biocontrol agents?
What is considered a primary requirement to ensure effective mass production of biocontrol agents?
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What is the scientific name for the striped flea beetle studied in the field evaluations?
What is the scientific name for the striped flea beetle studied in the field evaluations?
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Which crop was involved in the experiments conducted for the reduction of flea beetle populations?
Which crop was involved in the experiments conducted for the reduction of flea beetle populations?
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What was the focus of the 10-year study conducted in Nigeria mentioned in the assessment?
What was the focus of the 10-year study conducted in Nigeria mentioned in the assessment?
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What type of organism is Trichoderma classified as?
What type of organism is Trichoderma classified as?
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Which of the following methods is NOT mentioned as a biological control approach?
Which of the following methods is NOT mentioned as a biological control approach?
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What was used to measure the effectiveness of biological control against the striped flea beetle?
What was used to measure the effectiveness of biological control against the striped flea beetle?
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What was the purpose of experimenting with resistant varieties in rice blast management?
What was the purpose of experimenting with resistant varieties in rice blast management?
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Study Notes
Assessment of Parasitism
- Microbial behavior impacting biocontrol should be studied under natural or mimicking conditions.
- Biocontrol agent effectiveness depends on:
- Mechanism of action (conditioning, dosage, application methods)
- Target pathogen sensitivity
- Host (cultivar type, physical properties)
- Environmental conditions (biotic and abiotic factors, chemical residues, nutrient availability, temperature, moisture).
Assessment Methods for Establishing Efficacy for Biological Control
- Laboratory tests
- Greenhouse tests
- Field tests
- Farm tests
Laboratory Tests
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Antagonism assay: Evaluates one microorganism's ability to inhibit another's growth, through antimicrobial compound production.
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Dual Culture tests: Assessing antagonistic capability of Trichoderma isolates against F. fujikuroi.
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Analyzing suppression and inhibition effects (Trichoderma spp. against F. fujikuroi), measured after seven days incubation, at a temperature of 28±2°C.
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Evaluating the antagonistic activity of Bacillus subtilis HK-CSM-1 on the mycelial growth of Colletotrichum panacicola.
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Feeding trials: Assess if a predator or parasitoid consumes a pest under controlled conditions.
- No-choice test
- Choice test
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Life table studies: Determine development, reproduction, and survival rates of a biocontrol agent.
- Includes data on egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages, with mortality factors like predation, parasitization, and freezing.
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Host range testing: Determine if potential biocontrol agents target only the pest without harming beneficial or non-target species.
Greenhouse Tests
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Semi-field conditions, controlled environment more realistic than lab.
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Select and evaluate the best potential biocontrol agents.
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Greenhouse evaluation of Bacillus subtilis AP-01 and Trichoderma harzianum AP-001 for tobacco diseases.
- Combining these agents creates an effective treatment similar to chemical treatments for both bacterial wilt and damping-off disease.
- This combination similarly controls frogeye leaf spot, yielding comparable results to chemical control.
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Assessment of Trathala flavoorbitalis as an egg-plant fruit and shoot borer (FSB) parasitoid.
- High efficiency in greenhouse and microplot tests, with 90% and 70% parasitism rates, respectively.
- Population increases with suitable conditions, with about three-fold increase in one-year.
Field Tests
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Replicated experiments, using multiple sites or plots with biocontrol agents, compared to untreated or differently treated plots.
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Monitor pest and biocontrol agent population densities over time to gauge impact.
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Managing rice blast in Cambodian rice fields uses Trichoderma harzianum.
- Shows it controls blast incidence effectively in susceptible varieties.
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Field evaluation of entomopathogenic nematodes to control Phyllotreta striolata.
- Reports reduction rates of adult populations of Phyllotreta striolata after treatment.
Farm Tests
- "Ground-truthing" and assessing the effectiveness of biocontrol agents for mitigating aflatoxin in Nigerian farming fields, over a 10-year period.
Mass Production
- Substrates: Wheat, chopped straw (with acid mineral solution), grain bran, wheat bran, barley grains, or sand and corn meal.
- Advantages of Substrates: Readily available, high stored energy, structure to the final product.
- Physical Growth Conditions needed: Temperature (24-29°C), Moisture (55-65%), Carbon-Nitrogen ratio (20:1 to 40:1), Substrate pH (5.5-6.5) and other required nutrients.
Application/Field Release
- Introduction of antagonists intensifies microbial interaction, controlling disease-causing organisms.
- Seed treatment, seedling dip, seed-biopriming, foliar spray application and soil application/direct application methods.
- Coating seedling roots with an antagonist is a viable method, suppressing certain diseases.
Constraints
- Biocontrol agents need to effectively compete with chemical pesticides.
- Ensuring high product potency and purity during delivery to users.
- Handling, transportation and storage requirements must be well-defined for biocontrol agents.
- Managing short-term expiration dates for biocontrol agents is critical.
Steps/Sequence for Production of Biocontrol Agents
- Discovery and identification of agents
- Efficacy Test
- Safety Tests (user, environmental & non-target organisms)
- Testing genetic stability of the agents
- Evaluating potential for mass production
- Formulation
- Testing stability and shelf-life
- Market potential testing
- Evaluation and analysis of profitability/Return on investment (ROI)
- Field trials
- Patenting the agent
- Commercialization and distribution to end-users.
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Description
This quiz explores the various aspects of parasitism and its implications for biological control. It covers the mechanisms of action, factors affecting biocontrol agent effectiveness, and methods of assessment in laboratory, greenhouse, field, and farm settings. Test your knowledge on microbial behavior and interactions with pathogens.
