Biocontrol has been the fastest growing segment of the global plant protection business over the last few years. Its market is estimated at about 2,3 billion $, and within biologicals, the microbial products have been the fastest growing product type segment of biocontrol today. The multinational agricultural input companies such as the Crop Protection Multinationals have shown a strong interest in the biocontrol industry with highest priority in the microbial market segment. Regulatory Authorities are committed to encouraging the development and use of low risk biological pesticides as alternatives to conventional chemical pesticides than have shown to have a high toxicity.
Main objective of TRICHO T-18 Project is to develop a feasibility study in order to obtain and produce a biological control agent (strain T18) in an industrial scale, necessary to develop a commercial product. In this sense, intensive researching work has been carried out, wich includes: Isolation and selection of Trichoderma asperellum strain T18 from soil sample and healthy host, characterization of monoconidial cultures of Trichoderma asperellum strain T18 and researching of in vitro antagonistic activity of the Trichoderma asperellum strain T18 against 17 isolates of different fungal plant pathogens. At the same time, a deep Market & Regulatory analysis has been carried out, including Key Trends Analysis, Market Dynamics, Drivers Global of Biopesticides Market and Company Profiles.
All considered, thanks to Risk Analysis, Market Study and Feasibility concept studies carried out in Phase 1, SME AMC has advanced from TRL 6 to TRL 7 and has the knowledge of technical and economic viability of the product to deal with the security challenges of the demonstration phase and testing, to continue with Phase 2-SME Instrument, develop the scaling-up process to obtain T. asperellum strain T18 based product and accelerate time to market.
