Fungal Entomopathogen Fermentation for Scalable Insect Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a long-standing need for environmentally friendly, selective, non-persistent, and biodegradable methods and compositions to control agricultural insect pests, and existing methods lack scalability for commercial use.

Innovation Solution

A method for producing a fungal entomopathogenic product using specific strains like Metarhizium anisopliae and Metarhizium robertsii in liquid culture, involving fermentation with controlled carbon and nitrogen sources and stress conditions to enhance insecticidal activity, allowing for large-scale commercial production.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If conventional methods for controlling insect pests are used, then insect damage is reduced, but environmental friendliness and biodegradability are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinsect damageVSAvoidenvironmental friendliness

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces chemical insecticide systems with a biological system using entomopathogenic fungi (Metarhizium anisopliae and Metarhizium robertsii). The fungal spores naturally infect and kill insect pests through biological mechanisms rather than chemical toxicity, achieving pest control while maintaining environmental friendliness and biodegradability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses fungal spores as an intermediary agent between the application method and the insect pest. The spores act as a biological mediator that transfers the pest control function without requiring direct chemical contact, enabling environmentally friendly pest management through natural infection processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If existing entomopathogenic methods are used, then insect control is achieved, but scalability for commercial use is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinsect pest controlVSAvoidcommercial scalability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary fermentation of fungal spores in controlled liquid culture systems to produce large quantities of viable spores before field application. This preliminary mass production step enables commercial scalability by preparing sufficient inoculum in advance, overcoming the limitation of small-scale traditional methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes fermentation parameters including carbon sources (sucrose, glucose), nitrogen sources (peptone, yeast extract), pH levels, and incubation conditions to maximize spore production and viability. These parameter changes enable high-yield commercial production while maintaining spore effectiveness for pest control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If fungal entomopathogen is produced using single carbon source, then production is simple, but insecticidal activity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction simplicityVSAvoidinsecticidal activity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite carbon sources including both sucrose and glucose in the fermentation medium. This composite approach leverages the complementary metabolic pathways activated by different sugars, enhancing fungal growth and spore production while maintaining production feasibility through a relatively simple dual-component formulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The fermentation medium is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: sucrose provides structural carbon and induces spore formation, while glucose provides rapid energy for fungal growth. This multi-functional carbon source system achieves both high spore yield and strong insecticidal activity without complicating the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method effectively produces a scalable, environmentally friendly fungal entomopathogenic product with enhanced insecticidal activity, suitable for commercial use in insect pest management, reducing overall insect damage to agricultural crops.

Implementation Method 1

entomopathogenic fungal strains selected from the group consisting of Metarhizium anisopliae 15013-1 (NRRL 67073), Metarhizium robertsii 23013-3 (NRRL 67075), Metarhizium anisopliae 3213-1 (NRRL 67074)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPathogenic infection: