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Lactic acid bacteria-enclosing poly(epsilon-caprolactone) microcapsules as soil bioamendment
Takayuki Takei1, Masahiro Yoshida, Yasuo Hatate
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering
|October 22, 2008
Summary
Microencapsulation protects beneficial lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in soil bioamendments. Optimized poly(epsilon-caprolactone) microcapsules enhance LAB survival and activity, effectively controlling root-knot nematodes.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Microbiology
- Materials Science
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Free-living plant growth-promoting bacteria in soil bioamendments (SBA) face challenges from soil competitors and predators.
- Microencapsulation offers a protective microenvironment, enhancing bacterial survival and efficacy in agricultural applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) microcapsules encapsulating lactic acid bacteria (LAB) for improved plant growth promotion.
- To optimize the preparation parameters of water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsion for enhanced LAB activity.
- To evaluate the efficacy of microencapsulated LAB in soil, specifically for nematode control.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the solvent-evaporation method with a W/O/W emulsion system to encapsulate LAB within PCL microcapsules.
- Optimized key parameters: volume ratio of inner aqueous phase (W(i)) to oil phase (O), sodium alginate concentration in W(i), and PCL molecular weight in O.
- Assessed LAB viability and lactic acid production activity post-encapsulation.
Main Results:
- Optimized microcapsule preparation involved a W(i):O volume ratio of 0.1, 1.0% sodium alginate, and 40 kDa PCL.
- Microcapsules prepared under optimized conditions exhibited approximately nine times higher lactic acid production activity compared to commercial SBA.
- Soil application tests confirmed the microcapsules' effectiveness in controlling root-knot nematodes.
Conclusions:
- Poly(epsilon-caprolactone) microencapsulation is a viable strategy to enhance the survival and activity of plant growth-promoting LAB in soil.
- Optimized microencapsulation significantly boosts LAB's beneficial functions, outperforming commercial products.
- The developed microcapsules demonstrate potential as an effective biological control agent against plant parasitic nematodes.
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