AgroPages-China’s microbial pesticide industry develops rapidly, 20 novel microbial pesticide varieties added since 2017-Agricultural news

Thanks to national policy support and biotechnical breakthroughs, China’s microbial pesticide industry has experienced rapid development in recent years.

Microbial pesticide refers to pesticide-using bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa or genetically modified microorganisms as active ingredients. Its feature of natural source and the mechanism of action determine that microbial pesticides are more friendly and safe for the ecological environment and human health. This helps maintain the ecological balance and reduce environmental pollution while preventing and controlling harmful organisms. Hence, microbial pesticide has become a focus of research and development in the pesticide industry.

Since implementing the pesticide registration data regulation on November 1, 2017 (Announcement No. 2569), China’s microbial pesticide industry has moved into a relatively rapid developing stage, with the increased launch of biocontrol microorganisms and various novel microbial pesticides. The bar graph below presents microbial pesticides registered from 2019 to 2023.

Figure 1 Microbial pesticides registered from 2019 to 2023

Up to April 2024, there were 558 microbial pesticide registrations in China, including microbial and biochemical, microbial, and chemical mixes, involving 69 product varieties, as shown in the following table.

Table 1 Microbial Pesticidal Active Ingredient Registrations

Category	AI Class	AI Name
Bacteria	34	Bacillus velezensis CGMCC No.14384, Brevibacillus laterosporus A60, Empedobacter brevis, Paenibacillus polymyxa, Paenibacillus polymyxa KN-03, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus marinus, Methyl nutritional bacillus 9912, Methyl nutritional bacillus LW-6, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens AT-332, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens B1619, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens B7900, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens LX-11, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens PQ21, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens QST713, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ZY-9-13, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens HT2003, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SN16-1, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens X196-3, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens KN-527, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus sphaericus, Bacillus nematocid B16, Rhodovulum sulfidophilus HNI-1, Ceriporia lacerata GXMS1, Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus thuringiensis HAN055, Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Cordyceps javanica Ij01, Cordyceps javanica JS001 and Rhodopseudomonas palustris PSB-S.
Fungi	13	Paecilomyces lilacinus, Coniothyrium minitans ZS-1SB, conidioblous thromboides, Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma harzianum DS-10, Trichoderma harzianum LTR-2, Verticillium chlamydosporium, Metarhizium anisopliae, Metarhizium anisopliae CaMa421, Trichoderma, Beauveria bassiana, Beauveria bassiana ZJU435 and Conithyrium minitans CGMCC8325
Oomycete	1	Pythium oligadrum
Virus	17	(1) Nuclear polyhedrosis virus: Cotton bollworm nuclear polyhedrosis virus, tea geometer nuclear polyhedrosis virus, beet armyworm nuclear polyhedrosis virus, autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus, prodenia litura nuclear polyhedrosis virus, cabbage moth nuclear polyhedrosis virus, Spodoptera frugiperda nuclear polyhedrosis virus Hub1, Syngraphafalcifera nuclear polyhedrosis virus Kew1, Spodoptera frugiperda nuclear polyhedrosis virus KYc01, Syngraphafalcifera nuclear polyhedrosis virus Kew1 and Spodoptera frugiperda nuclear polyhedrosis virus Hub1. (2) Cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus: Dendrolimus cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus. (3) Granulosis virus GV: Pierisrapae granulosis, Plutella xylostella granulovirus, Pseudaletia Unipuncta Granulosis Virus, Periplaneta fuliginosa Pefuambidensovirus and Cnaphalocrocis medinalis granulovirus.
Protozoa	3	Nosema locustae, nosema locustae PL-GM1 and nosema locustae AL200801.
Genetically modified microorganism	1	Bacillus thuringiensis G033A

Since the implementation of the pesticide registration data regulation, a total of 20 novel microbial pesticides have been granted registration, including Bacillus amyloliquefaciens X196-3, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens KN-527, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SN16-1, Spodoptera frugiperda nuclear polyhedrosis virus KYc01, Nosema locustae PL-GM1, Ceriporia lacerata GXMS1, Syngraphafalcifera nuclear polyhedrosis virus Kew1, Spodoptera frugiperda nuclear polyhedrosis virus Hub1, Trichoderma harzianum DS-10, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens HT2003, Beauveria bassiana ZJU435, Trichoderma harzianum HTR-2, Bacillus thuringiensis HAN055, Cordyceps javanica Ij01, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ZY-9-13, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens QST713, Bacillus velezensis CGMCC No.14384, Bacillus nematocid B16, Cordyceps javanica JS001 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens AT-332.