Pasteuria Bioscience received registration from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Pasteuria usgae, a natural bacteria prevalent in soil that will be marketed as a biological control agent for plant-parasitic nematodes.
“We’re very pleased to receive this EPA registration,” said David Duncan, Ph.D., chief executive officer for Pasteuria Bioscience. “It confirms Pasteuria usgae as an effective agent for sting nematode control."
Pasteuria spp. was first discovered more than 50 years ago and identified as an effective agent for nematode control. Scientists have considered Pasteuria to be a promising biological agent for control of plant-parasitic nematodes, but until recently, no one was able to grow Pasteuria outside of the body of a nematode. Thus, it could not be produced cost-effectively on a commercial scale.
Pasteuria Bioscience has developed a new technology that allows the rapid and cost-effective growth of multiple strains of Pasteuria manufactured through traditional fermentation methods.
The Society of Nematology and other organizations estimate global crop losses due to nematodes at $100 billion annually.
“This first step is important for Pasteuria Bioscience and serves as validation of the credibility of Pasteuria-derived products. We’re confident about the future of this technology as an important tool to help growers control nematodes in a variety of crops and regions of world,” said Duncan.