Formulation technology extends the shelf life of biopesticides to 36 months

Biotrop announced that it had taken an “important step” by breaking the shelf-life barrier of some biopesticides in its portfolio, which now offer 36 months of product expiration time without the need for refrigeration.

Shelf-life has always been one of the biggest challenges in the biopesticides market, as formulations composed of live microorganisms have a life expectancy and need ideal conditions for survival for an extended period on storage shelves.

To overcome this barrier, Biotrop sought to stabilize the formulation of the products. “The extended term favors the great adherence to the use of biologicals, as this is a variable that influences the planning of purchase of inputs,” said biologist and Ph.D. in genetics and molecular biology, Douglas Fabiano Gomes, Innovation Manager at Biotrop.

Douglas Fabiano Gomes, Innovation Manager at Biotrop

According to Gomes, this result was only possible thanks to the studies and research conducted by Biotrop in recent years. The company explained that it mastered the complex patent-pending “DOP” process of inducing the formation of bacterial endospores and maximum metabolic expression, resulting in solutions with longer shelf life and high survival capacity of microorganisms after their application in the field.

“This feat has a great impact on the market, allowing longer storage time, efficiency in use, and cost reduction, mainly because there is no need for transportation and refrigerated storage,” the specialist said.

Without storage at low temperatures, biological products become even more accessible to small producers or from more distant regions. According to the biologist, not all bacteria applied as a biotechnological product in agriculture can form a resistance culture.

“Not all microorganisms form endospores, but we have advanced a lot in studies to expand other resilient forms in the other products in our portfolio,” he said in conclusion.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)