Biopesticides as a Novel Management Strategy for Sclerotinia in Canola
Research Objective
- Screen and evaluate biopesticide potential and efficacy in controlling sclerotinia (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum)
- Characterize different bacterial strains of the biopesticide and look genetically at what causes the improvement of canola to sclerotinia
- Understand how a plant uses the biopesticide as a defense
- Evaluate the usefulness of the biopesticides
Project Description
Biopesticides are among the agricultural biologicals where the living organisms and/or their natural products are used to biologically control weeds, plant diseases, and insect pests. They are environmentally-friendly and contribute to the endurance and environmental performance of the ecosystem. One application of biopesticide technology is to combat the disease sclerotinia, caused by the pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Sclerotinia presents a challenge to canola production because no resistant cultivars have been developed and the only way to treat it is through chemical pesticides. In the lead investigator's lab, Dr. Susan Boyetchko, there have been many bacterial isolates (biopesticides) that have been shown to inhibit sclerotinia in different ways. In this study, these promising bacterial strains will be tested to help explain how they can be responsible for biological control of sclerotinia in terms of microbial and plant genomic studies, as well as plant defense systems. The next step for this study will be the development of a foliar-applied bacterial biopesticide to be used in integrated pest management. By using biopesticides, there is a reduction in need for fossil fuels and this overall reduces the carbon footprint of agriculture, helping to meet Canada's greenhouse gas emissions goals while also helping the canola producer. Overall, using biopesticides will improve the environmental performance to have even more sustainable canola production and to reduce the chemical pesticide load in the environment.