China approved biofungicide Bacillus methylotrophicus 9912

The Chinese Institute for the Control of Agrochemicals, Ministry of Agriculture (ICAMA) has recently approved the Technical Concentration and its preparation of Bacillus methylotrophicus 9912. The pesticide was produced by North China Pharmaceutical Group AINO CO LTD according to the technology transferred by the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of Chinese Academy of Sciences. This is an innovation, internal and international. The tech will be industrialized soon.

Bacillus methylotrophicus is a new species reported by Munusamy Madhaiya in 2010. Bacillus methylotrophicus 9912, simplified as BAC-9912, was screened from sea bed mud of Bohai gulf by the research group in IAE, led by Prof. HU Jiangchun.

Gray mold on cucumber and tomato is commonly seen disease in agriculture, resulting in economic loss as much as billions of RNBs. For controlling this disease, first choice of import chemicals Procymidone and Vinclozolin are harmful to the reproductive capacity and development of reproductive organs of male animals and are listed as Environmental Hormones. Their use are restricted or forbidden on some food crops in developed countries such as USA, UK and Japan.

These chemicals are also under monitor in international trade of agricultural products. The strict inspection has become a green trade barrier to developing countries. On this background, screening and developing microbial fungicide with high-efficiency, low toxicity and none harm to human and animals are urgent.

The HU Jiangchun group devotes to marine microorganism resources and microbial pesticides. Their activity assay in lab showed that BAC-9912 produces metabolites including a new lipopeptide antibiotics 6-Abu C16 fengycin. It has very strong fungicide activity to the pathogen of grey mold-Botrytis cinereand and does no harm to human, livestock and environment. Field test for many years has shown significant effect in controlling grey mold and late blight on cucumber and tomato, yellow wilt on cotton and apple tree rot. BAC-9912, as a plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), promotes plant growth as well.

This product is a new, high-efficiency, environment-friendly bio-fungicide. Hopefully, it will replace the import chemical and has big potential in future development.