What CSIRO is doing to bolster crop protection in Australia

Protecting Australia’s crops from pests, weeds and diseases is an ongoing battle, with many becoming resistant to traditional controls over time.

But thanks to the work of Dr Louise Thatcher and the team at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, we may soon have better options, and new ways of prolonging the efficacy of those already in use.

Louise, a Principal Research Scientist with CSIRO, is currently focussed on new biopesticide discoveries, along with innovations in their formulation, bioproduction, and integration into farming systems.

She said this is necessary in an era when farm productivity and sustainability are paramount, and the technology pipeline for conventional controls is slowing.

On top of that, she said Australia is facing a “chemically constrained future” with stronger agricultural regulation and greater consumer expectations.

This, and the increased disease, pest and weed load from intensified farming systems, means there has never been a more challenging time to accelerate research.

“It's important to help farmers in what is currently a very complex system. Crop protections are a broad technology offering and farmers have a lot of decisions to make.

“We’re looking at how to work with them and provide the appropriate tools to manage this issue sustainably, whilst maintaining profitability within their farming system.”, she said.

Need for an integrated approach

With these factors in play, Louise said Australia needs an integrated approach, where growers have access to multiple tools and practices to help keep their crops healthy. With an integrated approach, there are several layers.

“We start with crop genetics, where we look for natural ways to fight off pests and diseases or outcompete weeds.

“If we've a previously resistant crop that's now susceptible to a pest or disease – and if we can't breed for that – we need different practices such as management and cultural practices.

“We would look at biopesticides and other biological products. And finally, chemical controls, which act as the final layer,” she said.

Biologicals hold much potential

For the second layer, first-line treatments include beneficial insects - predatory insects, spiders and mites that can control different pest populations.

Many of these exist naturally in the agricultural landscape, while others can be produced en mass and deployed into the farming system.

Louise said biologicals are her main focus - and that there is more to this layer than many people realise.

“When people think of biologicals, they tend to think of a microbe or living organism. Microbials is just one category of biologicals, and within microbials is even more diversity.

“It could contain a living microbe that's deployed into the farm to control a pest or disease. It could also be a component of a microbe, or an extract or compound from the fermentation of microbes.

“So, there are diverse products that can work in different ways or offer different levels of performance that we can get from this category.”

There are new technologies involving biopesticides

New technologies involving components of living organisms or natural substances - such as peptides, enzymes, metabolites and RNAi molecules – also hold promise.

Recently, there have been new molecular discoveries, along with advances in how these molecules can be engineered.

“With new genomics technologies, we can sequence the genomes of different bacteria and fungi very quickly for those that have promising biocontrol properties.

“We can also start to screen through their genome for new molecules that might be able to ward off a pathogen, pest or weed in an agricultural setting.

“We believe now that up to 90% of the biochemical potential of some of these biocontrol microbes is yet to be discovered. So that's an exciting space.”

New modes of action are being discovered

Louise said biocontrol microbes have been around for a while, but scientists are now better at understanding how they work and faster at discovering new modes of action.

Additionally, there have been improvements in the bioproduction and formulation of biopesticides.

These include new fermentation technologies and other production systems, for example that make RNAi molecules at low cost

“They've really advanced over the past couple of years so that we can bring down the cost of production, which, in the past, has been a roadblock for biopesticides. With reduced production costs, it is certainly something to celebrate.”

New formulation technologies

Louise is also partnering with others to explore new ways to formulate biopesticides for their intended environment.

“We know that with our traditional chemical controls, there have been decades of research into formulating chemistries, to make sure they work effectively under different environments.

“Now, we're starting to see the same with biopesticides and, while there is a way to go, I’m anticipating some quite advanced formulation science in that space.

“This is encouraging, because it will allow us to increase the stability, consistency and efficacy of these biopesticides, once they're used on farms.”

Better integration methods

Similarly, there are new ways of thinking about the integration of biopesticide products into existing grower practices.

“People used to think of this as a swap in and swap out approach, where you replace a conventional chemistry with a new biopesticide. We now know that biopesticides work in different ways to conventional chemistries. So, this approach doesn’t work.

“We are now focussed on how biopesticides work alongside conventional chemistries – both in season while the crop is growing, and the potential benefits over the longer term to manage pest populations that have adapted to pesticides or overcome resistance in host crops.”

Further insight

Sharing more on this research, Dr Louise Thatcher will be presenting at the upcoming BioInputs Australia Conference, joining industry leaders from across the value chain and innovators driving the biologicals revolution.

This year’s event will be held October 21-22 at the Crown Promenade Melbourne.

Learn more and register your tickets here.