VI-VACCINE, a microbial extract-based product, strengthens Integrated Virus Management

The coronavirus COVID-19 is overwhelming the globe affecting more than 200 countries. Similarly plant disease viruses have been in agriculture for a long time and nowadays they are becoming the most destructive diseases in various crops. Unlike fungi and bacteria, the complicated relationship among the virus, host plants and the infection route makes it difficult to manage disease control.

With the technology development of biological products and rising issue of sustainable agriculture, IPM(Integrated Pest Management) is already essential part of agriculture. When IPM is applied to virus disease management, IVM(Integrated Virus disease Management) might be also regarded as a general and integral measure unless we underestimate the tricky surviving skill of virus.

If so, what measures should be consolidated in IVM?

Since no single method will be effective enough to provide perfect control, possible measures should be combined. Seed varieties resistant to virus, use of virus-free seeds or seedlings, vector pressure suppression by insecticides and removal of weeds or potential host plants are practical and basic ways to reduce the virus disease damages. 

In addition, it will be more effective if we are able to add a solution to inactivate the plant virus particles into IVM program. Here is one product to perform this mission. This is Vi-vaccine.

Vi-vaccine is a microbial extract-based product to prevent or suppress virus disease infection. The microbial extract of Vi-vaccine degrades the coat protein of virus and leads to inactivation of infection capability. Because it is non-systemic, only preventive effect is valid. To get the expected efficacy, tank-mixing spray with insecticides to control vectors are recommended. 

Unfortunately, plants can’t be cured once infected by virus. Therefore virus control must aim at preventing or delaying infection. Under this basic concept, Vi-vaccine should be inserted at target points. In case of soil-borne viruses, drenching is essential to reduce activated virus particles in soil. Vector-transmitted viruses are much more complex. How to lower the vector pressure by using insecticides as well as Vi-vaccine application should be considered together. 

Field trial results for TSWV on tomato in Italy explain the importance of preventive strategy for virus control. Two trial sites (site A, site B) were selected. In trial site A, Vi-vaccine was sprayed at the timing when 9.1% plants showed infection symptoms. In trial site B, it was sprayed at the timing when 1.3% plants showed infection symptoms. About 3 months later from transplanting, the infection rates between control and treated plots in trial site A were not significantly different. However, Vi-vaccine-treated plot showed less TSWV symptoms by more than 50% compared to control plot in trial site B. It means that late applications of Vi-vaccine or other solutions related to virus control will not be effective and all control strategy should focus on the prevention.

Plant disease viruses are being diversified and more resistant. It is not difficult to see that seed varieties resistant to virus become susceptible due to mutation of virus. Along with the evolution of virus, Integrated Virus disease Management should also be improved. 

Definitely Vi-vaccine will strengthen Integrated Virus disease Management when it is applied to preventive strategy. 

Global Agro is the biological solution provider & bio-technology company in Korea. Based on the innovative R&D capabilities, it has developed various bio/green solutions including SmartWater and Vi-vaccine(plant disease virucide). Also as a specialized distributor in Asia region, it is distributing Fitomaat of Futureco Bioscience in Spain as a sole exclusive distributor of this product in Asia.