Entwicklung von Verkapselungsmethoden für Pflanzenextrakte

Organic farming is reliant on alternative active substances like plant extracts for plant protection. Limited stability of plant extracts complicates their use and storage. Consequently, there is a need for the development of novel formulations like encapsulation that stabilize the active substances, control their release and provide an appropriate handling. In the project DevelOPAR (Development of a plant avian repellent) we illustrate how a repellent plant extract is formulated in order to be applied as seed-coating protecting seeds not to be eaten by birds. Testing the methods of ionic gelation and complex coacervation we managed to encapsulate the plant extract and produce homogenous particles that can be applied on corn seeds using a spin coating process

Bioformulation of microbial biocontrol agents for a sustainable agriculture

The application of microbial based biopesticides has become a sustainable alternative to the use of chemicals to prevent yield losses due to plant pathogens. However, microbial based biopesticides are often unsuccessfully formulated and do not meet the demanding regulatory standards required by the agencies, which hinders their commercialization. Hence, an outline on the approaches to attain more effective formulations might be useful for the development of future more effective products. With this aim, this chapter reports the current state of biocontrol strategies and describes the principles of microbial biocontrol formulations. Emphasis is placed on techniques and tools available for the development and characterisation of microbial products. To provide glimpses on the possible formulations, the different existing additives, carriers, inoculation techniques and formulation types are exhaustively reviewed. Finally, requirements and principles for efficacy evaluation of plant protection products in the European Union are include