IN VITRO MASS PRODUCTION OF BACULOVIRUS INSECTICIDES

BACULOVIRUSES HAVE DEMONSTRATED ABILITY TO CONTROL MAJOR ECONOMIC PESTS IN AGRICULTURE, BUT HIGH PRODUCTION COSTS HAVE PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN LIMITING THEIR COMMERCIAL AVAILABILITY. AS THE ONLY COMPANY WITH A LOW COST, PATENTED IN VITRO MASS PRODUCTION TECHNIQUE FOR INSECT PARASITIC NEMATODES, BIOSYS IS WELL-SUITED TO DEVELOPING SUCH A TECHNIQUE FOR BACULOVIRUSES. IN THIS PROPOSAL, THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LOW COST GROWTH MEDIUM FOR INSECT CELLS AND BACULOVIRUSES IS DESCRIBED. THE APPROACH WILL BE TO START WITH A CURRENT, EXPENSIVE, DEFINED GROWTH MEDIUM AND PROVIDE LOW COST NUTRIENTS WHICH WILL SUBSTITUTE FOR THE AMINO ACID, CARBOHYDRATE, VITAMIN AND TRACE ELEMENT, ORGANIC ACID, AND LIPID REQUIREMENTS OF THE SYSTEM. PARTIAL MEDIA WILL BE PREPARED LACKING ONE NUTRIENT CLASS AND LOW COST SUPPLEMENTS WILL BE SCREENED FOR CELL GROWTH IN CELL WELLS. PROMISING CANDIDATES WILL BE CHARACTERIZED MORE FULLY IN SHAKE FLASKS. FINAL FORMULATION OF THE MEDIUM WILL PRODUCE THE BEST COMBINATION OF LOW COST AND HIGH VIRUS YIELD. IN PHASE II, THE MEDIUM DEVELOPED IN PHASE I WILL BE SCALED UP TO 7500 L FERMENTERS.