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Enhancing Bacillus thuringiensis Performance: Fertilizer-Driven Improvements in Biofilm Formation, UV Protection, and
Fan Zhao1, Yufei Mao1, Jiahong Yang1
1State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, Biopesticide Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
Fertilizers significantly boost the effectiveness of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) by enhancing biofilm formation, improving UV resistance, and increasing insecticidal activity. This research offers new strategies for sustainable agriculture using microbial pesticides.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Microbiology
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a microbial pesticide with low environmental impact but is vulnerable to field conditions.
- Bacterial biofilms protect Bt, but fertilizer effects on these biofilms and Bt performance are poorly understood.
- Optimizing Bt efficacy requires understanding how environmental factors like fertilizers influence its survival and activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of various fertilizers on biofilm formation, UV resistance, and insecticidal activity of Bt.
- To identify optimal fertilizer compositions for enhancing Bt performance.
- To provide theoretical support for improved Bt applications in sustainable agriculture.
Main Methods:
- Evaluated effects of six fertilizers on Bt wettable powders.
- Utilized response surface optimization to identify ideal compound fertilizer composition.
- Assessed bacterial biofilm formation (BBF), UV survivability, and insecticidal activity (LC50 values).
Main Results:
- Fertilizers significantly enhanced the performance of three tested Bt preparations.
- An optimized compound fertilizer (KCl, ZnSO4·7H2O, humic acid) maximized BBF formation (OD595 = 2.738).
- Specific components (KH2PO4, HA, ZnSO4·7H2O) and the compound fertilizer improved UV resistance and reduced LC50 values, increasing efficacy up to 3.12-fold.
Conclusions:
- Fertilizers substantially enhance Bt UV resistance and insecticidal activity by promoting bacterial biofilm formation.
- Optimized fertilizer application represents a viable strategy to improve the field efficacy of Bt microbial pesticides.
- This study provides foundational insights for advancing sustainable agricultural practices through enhanced microbial pesticide performance.
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