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Published on: July 30, 2017
Formulation and characterization of the microencapsulated entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae MA126
1Department of Biological Science and Technology, Mei Ho Institute of Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan. cpliu@ntu.edu.tw
Abstract:
Bioinsecticides are expected to be used for controlling major species of aphids. The present study explored a liquid phase coating technique for the formulation of microencapsulated conidia of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae MA126. Various parameters for microencapsulation were investigated. The biopolymers sodium alginate, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) and chitosan were tested as coating materials. Calcium chloride was used as the cross-linking agent for converting soluble sodium alginate into an insoluble form. To improve the efficiency of microencapsulation, the additives of HPMC, dextrin, chitosan or HPMC/chitosan in various ratios (1 : 1, 1 : 3 and 3 : 1) were used as the coating materials. The particle size of a bare microcapsule was less than 30 microm. Larger size microcapsules were produced using vortex method by comparison with that using homogenization method. The latter method, however, was easy to scale up. The effect of coating materials on the morphology and encapsulation efficiency of the microcapsules was also studied. The best encapsulation efficiency (78%) was using HPMC as the additive of the coating material. The next was dextrin (70%). By measuring the germination rate, the results showed that the activity was approximately 80% of the initial after 6 months of storage at 4 degrees C, while that of the bare conidia was less than 50% stored in identical conditions.
Insights
This study developed microencapsulation for the bioinsecticide Metarhizium anisopliae MA126. Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) coating improved encapsulation efficiency and conidia viability during storage.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Microbiology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Aphids pose significant threats to agriculture, necessitating effective and sustainable control methods.
- Bioinsecticides, particularly entomopathogenic fungi like Metarhizium anisopliae, offer an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical pesticides.
- Formulation challenges, such as maintaining fungal viability and efficacy, hinder the widespread adoption of bioinsecticides.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a microencapsulation technique for Metarhizium anisopliae MA126 conidia using a liquid phase coating method.
- To investigate the impact of various biopolymers (sodium alginate, HPMC, chitosan) and additives on microencapsulation efficiency and morphology.
- To evaluate the storage stability and viability of microencapsulated conidia compared to bare conidia.
Main Methods:
- Exploration of liquid phase coating for microencapsulating Metarhizium anisopliae MA126 conidia.
- Testing of sodium alginate, HPMC, and chitosan as primary coating materials, with CaCl2 as a cross-linking agent.
- Inclusion of additives like HPMC, dextrin, and chitosan in various ratios to optimize encapsulation efficiency.
- Comparison of vortex and homogenization methods for microcapsule production, assessing scalability and particle size.
- Evaluation of microcapsule morphology, encapsulation efficiency, and conidia germination rates after storage.
Main Results:
- The homogenization method produced smaller microcapsules (<30 microm) but was more scalable than the vortex method.
- Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) as an additive yielded the highest encapsulation efficiency (78%), followed by dextrin (70%).
- Microencapsulated conidia retained approximately 80% viability after 6 months of storage at 4°C, significantly higher than bare conidia (<50%).
Conclusions:
- Liquid phase microencapsulation is a viable technique for formulating the bioinsecticide Metarhizium anisopliae MA126.
- HPMC and dextrin are effective coating additives, significantly enhancing encapsulation efficiency.
- Microencapsulation improves the shelf-life and stability of entomopathogenic fungal conidia, supporting their use as bioinsecticides.
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