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ViewAttendees 13

PBT

Section Symposium

The Art, Science, and Industry of Insect Rearing

11: Evaluation of a microbial inhibitor in insect artificial diets for diet incorporation studies

Tuesday, November 17, 2020
11:45 AM - 12:00 PM EST
Livestream
Characterizing the functional activity of proteins expressed in novel insecticide traits is a key part of the Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) of these products prior to global product registrations. These proteins are incorporated in insect specific artificial diets prior to oral exposure at rates that ensure the spectrum of insecticidal activity of the new trait is determined. The artificial diets therefore must be non-toxic, promote growth and vitality of the insect and be free of contaminates. Controlling microbial growth in insect artificial diets is a key component in maintaining the integrity of the bioassay. Three antimicrobial agents were evaluated for their ability to suppress contamination, maintain insect health and maintain trait efficacy in various insect diets. Results from these studies provide insights on process improvement in artificial diets while maintaining the robustness of functional activity assays.