Background

Overview of Lab-to-filed Testing for Microbial Agents

As global attention to environmental protection and sustainable development increases, the agricultural sector is seeking to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and instead adopt more natural and environmentally friendly methods to improve crop yields and quality. Fermentation products, especially microbial preparations, have become a key tool to achieve this goal due to their potential in promoting plant growth, improving soil quality and controlling pests and diseases. These products help maintain ecological balance and reduce negative impacts on the environment.

The application of microbial agents in agriculture is not only to increase yields, but also plays a positive role in the maintenance of the ecological environment. Initially, these products were usually developed and verified under laboratory conditions, while the soil and climate conditions in reality are often much more complex than laboratory environments. Therefore, transition testing from laboratory to field becomes critical. Lab-to-field testing ensures the consistent effectiveness of products under different crops and environmental conditions, providing the possibility of reducing chemical inputs in agricultural production, thereby promoting the development of sustainable agriculture.

Fig. 1. Traditional and emerging strategies to promote the establishment of beneficial plant–microbiome association and improve crop yield. (Batista, et al., 2021)

Process of Lab-to-filed Testing for Microbial Agents

• Laboratory Testing

This initial phase focuses on controlled experiments to evaluate the microbial agent's mode of action, stability, and efficacy under simulated conditions. It includes petri dish assays and greenhouse trials to identify optimal strains with the desired biocontrol or growth-promoting properties.

• Greenhouse and Controlled Environment Trials

These trials bridge the gap between laboratory and field conditions. They are conducted in controlled environments where variables such as temperature, humidity, and light can be manipulated to assess the microbial agents' performance on plant growth and disease suppression.

• Field Trials

Field trials are critical for evaluating microbial agents under real-world agricultural conditions. They involve testing on various crops, soil types, and climatic conditions to observe the efficacy in pest and disease control or enhancing plant growth. Factors such as application methods, dosage, and timing are optimized during these trials.

• Data Collection and Analysis

Throughout these stages, extensive data on crop yield, pest and disease incidence, and environmental impact are collected. Advanced statistical methods are used to analyze data, ensuring robust conclusions about the microbial agents' efficacy.

• Regulatory Compliance and Scaling Up

Successful lab-to-field transition includes ensuring compliance with agricultural regulatory standards for microbial products. This phase also involves scaling up production and refining application techniques for commercial use.

Unlock the potential of your microbial innovations with our Lab-to-field testing services for microbial agents. Our comprehensive testing solutions ensure that your microbial products perform effectively in real-world conditions. From precise laboratory analysis to practical field trials, Creative BioMart Microbe bridges the gap between development and application, guaranteeing optimal results and accelerating your path to market success. Partner with us to transform your microbial breakthroughs into commercial triumphs, please feel free to contact us for more information.

Service Procedure

Service Details

Fermentation and Formulation Optimization

Our in-house pilot plant is equipped with fermentation equipment of different scales to meet the diverse needs from small-scale trials, pilot tests to commercial large-scale production. Using these fermenters, combined with advanced sensor networks and evaluation model software, we can optimize fermentation parameters, predict fermentation results, and improve fermentation efficiency and product quality. In addition, we can efficiently advance projects by using the formulation development database, which not only contains a large amount of formulation data, but also provides customized services to perform specific searches based on your exact needs.

Controlled Environment Testing

In the field of modern agriculture and biotechnology, Controlled Environment Testing (CET) is a key link to ensure crop health, improve yield and quality. We provide advanced greenhouse and growth chamber settings that can simulate various natural environmental conditions. Our greenhouses are equipped with a high-precision sensor network that can monitor key environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, light intensity, and carbon dioxide concentration in real time. In addition, we also provide evaluation model software to help researchers and agricultural producers predict crop growth trends and optimize planting strategies. Through high-resolution imaging technology and sensors, our digital phenotyping analysis tools can even capture subtle changes in crop growth, providing valuable data support for research and production.

Field Trial Design and Implementation

In the field test phase, our technical team has rich experience in field experiment design, data collection and analysis, and can develop scientific and reasonable test plans based on the characteristics of different crops and the purpose of the test. We provide customizable test options for row crops and specialty crops, which can address key parameters such as yield, disease control and root phenotyping. Our field test platform can monitor a series of phenotypic data, including but not limited to:

• Crop growth status: including crop growth rate, growth cycle, growth height, etc.;
• Pest and disease occurrence: record the impact of pests and diseases on crops at different growth stages;
• Yield data: accurately measure crop yield, including yield per unit area and total yield;
• Root phenotyping: using advanced root imaging technology to monitor total root length, total projected area, root circumference, root volume, root area, number of root tips, etc.

Comprehensive Solution with Integrated Workflow

Our services cover integrated workflows from fermentation, formulation optimization to in-plant testing, and the facilities for these processes are located in the same area. This greatly reduces the time for transferring materials between different links, thereby improving overall work efficiency. This integrated approach not only improves the efficiency of the process, but also helps to reduce production costs because it reduces unnecessary material transfer and storage requirements. The entire service platform includes complete field trial facilities, powerful data management systems and intelligent predictive tools. With the mobilization of a professional technical team, we can ensure that the product achieves the best results during fermentation and formulation development, while accelerating the entire process from product concept to market.

Our Advantages

• Comprehensive integrated facilities. Our testing facilities share the same campus with fermentation and formulation development laboratories, and the platform integrates greenhouse, growth chamber and microplot testing facilities, making the transition between laboratory testing and outdoor field experiments more seamless.
• Efficient development cycle. The integrated testing and development process greatly shortens the product cycle from laboratory to actual application environment, improving product development efficiency.
• Cross-disciplinary professional team. Our team has extensive experience in the research and development of microbial preparations and can provide customers with full support from discovery to field testing.
• Customer-oriented flexible service model. We provide a variety of cooperation models to meet customers' technical needs at different R&D stages, convert fixed costs into variable costs, and reduce customers' R&D investment risks.

Case Study

Case Study 1: Leveraging Bacillus amyloliquefaciens to combat endemic maize fungal pathogens in South Kivu.

In South Kivu, DRC, the warm and humid climate promotes phytopathogen growth, leading to significant crop and post-harvest losses. This study assessed Bacillus amyloliquefaciens as a biocontrol agent against newly isolated maize fungal pathogens. Strain S499 was chosen for its high in vitro antagonistic activity and potential to produce fungitoxic lipopeptides from maize root exudates. Its biocontrol efficacy was tested in growth chambers and field conditions over a full crop cycle, showing a strong protective effect in two agro-ecologically distinct locations. This strain not only protected against diseases but also increased yields, possibly by acting as a biofertilizer through phosphorus solubilization and production of plant growth hormones. This research highlights the potential use of such bacilli for sustainable maize production in central Africa.

Fig. 2. Protection provided by S499 against leaf infection on plants grown in infested potting soil. (Kulimushi, et al., 2018)

Case Study 2: Co-inoculation of novel endophytic strains enhances plant growth and offers biocontrol against Botrytis cinerea via DMDS production.

Researchers identified two novel endophytic bacteria, E25 and CR71, within the plant microbiome that boost plant growth and protect against phytopathogens like Botrytis cinerea. These strains, identified as Pseudomonas stutzeri and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia based on 16S ribosomal gene sequencing, produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that inhibit fungal growth, particularly through the antimicrobial effect of dimethyl disulfide (DMDS). Greenhouse tests revealed that these bacteria increased tomato plant growth, with a synergistic effect observed when they were co-inoculated. Thus, the combined use of these endophytes offers a promising strategy for plant growth enhancement and biocontrol through the emission of potent VOCs like DMDS.

Fig. 3. Effect of inoculation with strains P. stutzeri E25 and S. maltophilia CR71 individually and in a consortium on L. esculentum plants grown under greenhouse conditions. (Daniel, et al., 2018)

Case Study 3: Harnessing multifunctional microbial consortia and bioactive compounds for enhanced crop yield and quality.

Emerging research shows microbes can boost crop yields, but their effectiveness in the field is challenged by environmental factors. This study developed synthetic microbial communities combined with bioactive compounds to enhance crop output and quality. Researchers identified Plant Growth-Promoting Microorganisms (PGPMs) with diverse capabilities through a systematic literature review focusing on maize, wheat, potato, and tomato, and analyzed their metagenomes to select promising PGP strains. These PGPMs were then combined into consortia and tested with bioactive compounds under stress conditions. The resulting microbial and biostimulant blends show potential for further testing in sustainable agriculture settings.

Fig. 4. T. harzianum TH01 growing in starvation conditions in the presence or absence of BS2 at 48 h. (Tabacchioni, et al., 2021)

FAQs

References:

1. Batista BD, Singh BK. Realities and hopes in the application of microbial tools in agriculture. Microb Biotechnol. 2021;14(4):1258-1268.
2. Kulimushi PZ.; et al. Efficacy of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens as biocontrol agent to fight fungal diseases of maize under tropical climates: from lab to field assays in south Kivu. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2018;25(30):29808-29821.
3. Daniel RS.; et al. Pseudomonas stutzeri E25 and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia CR71 endophytes produce antifungal volatile organic compounds and exhibit additive plant growth-promoting effects. Biocatal Agric Biotechnol. 2018;13: 46-52.
4. Tabacchioni S.; et al. Identification of beneficial microbial consortia and bioactive compounds with potential as plant biostimulants for a sustainable agriculture. Microorganisms. 2021;9(2):426.