Biopesticide seed treatments for
improved growth of maize seedlings
Daniel M. Kang`ethe
Research and Development Team, The Real IPM Company, (Kenya) Ltd
First Bio-Innovate Regional Scientific
Conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25-27 February
2013
© The Real IPM Company
Thika, Kenya

summary
- Objective
- Background
- Methodology/procedure
- Criteria of evaluating growth promotion.
- Assessment
- Conclusion
© The Real IPM Company
Thika, Kenya

Back ground
Consortium of:
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and
Technology (Kenya) (JKUAT)
Alpha Seeds, Tanzania.
The Real IPM Company (K) Ltd, Kenya
© The Real IPM Company
Thika, Kenya

Real IPM
Biocontrol company based in Thika, Kenya
Delivery of Biopesticide on the seed.
Many advantages of seed delivery
© The Real IPM Company
Thika, Kenya

Research Objective
To assess the growth promoting effect of
Biopesticides (T. asperellum, B. subtilis, M.
anisopiliae and T. asperellum + M. anisopiliae)
as seed treatment on maize.
© The Real IPM Company
Thika, Kenya

Procedure
Origin of Biopesticides
Manufactured by Real IPM Kenya.
Formulated specially for seed coating.
Maize was used as test plant.
Design for on farm application
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Thika, Kenya

Procedure cont…
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Thika, Kenya

Procedure cont..
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Thika, Kenya

Procedure cont…
Above plate pictures of (a) Seed coated maize sample and the control
and (b) colony growth
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Thika, Kenya

Treatments
1. T. asperellum
2. M. anisopiliae
3. B. subtilis
4. T. asperellum + M. anisopiliae
5. Control
Germination and
seedling growth assessments
© The Real IPM Company
Thika, Kenya

Parameters
• Germination
• Tap root length
• Number of feeder roots
• Shoot height
• Fresh weight of the seedlings
© The Real IPM Company
Thika, Kenya

Results - Germination
100
90 83.07 83.33
79.6 77.33
80
GERMINATION %
70
54
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
BACILLUS CONTROL METARHIZIUM TRICHODERMA TRICHODERMA
+
METARHIZIUM
TREATMENTS
© The Real IPM Company
Thika, Kenya

Shoot length
10 8.92
9 8.31
7.34
8
SHOOT LENGTH (cm)
7.27
7
6
4.72
5
4
3
2
1
0
BACILLUS CONTROL MET + METARH TRICHO
TRICHO
TREATMENTS
© The Real IPM Company
Thika, Kenya

Tap root length
25
21.53
TAP ROOT LENGTH (cm) 20.53
19.21
20
15.59
15 12.01
10
5
0
BACILLUS CONTROL MET + METARH TRICHO
TRICHO
© The Real IPM Company
Thika, Kenya

Number of feeder roots
7
5.93
5.6
6
5.4
NUMBER OF FEEDER ROOTS
5.27
5 4.4
4
3
2
1
0
BACILLUS CONTROL MET + TRICHO METARH TRICHO
TREATMENTS
© The Real IPM Company
Thika, Kenya

© The Real IPM Company
Thika, Kenya

Assessment
How many microbes on the seed?
Biopesticides cfu`s/ Maize seed
Trichoderma asperellum 9.2 X10 7
Bacillus subtilis 7.5 X10 6
Metarhizium anisopliae 1.3 X10 6
© The Real IPM Company
Thika, Kenya

Conclusion
Biopesticides enhance growth
Act as growth promoters
Widely reported effect
Complex mechanism
Other pest and disease benefits
(See JKUAT paper)
© The Real IPM Company
Thika, Kenya

Conclusion
What next
Cropping trials have begun
Seed company application
(as opposed to on farm treatment)
Looking for seed company
partners in the region
Please contact Real IPM/me
© The Real IPM Company
Thika, Kenya

Contacts:
info@realipm.com
www.realipm.com
Thank you
© The Real IPM Company
Thika, Kenya