Phone:
(717) 258-1183
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Phone:
(717) 258-1183
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Bioassays
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Benzon Research has
performed thousands of potency bioassays on microbial pest control
agents such as Bacillus thuringiensis, viruses,
and fungi.
Diet incorporation, diet surface contamination, leaf-disc and droplet
feeding
bioassays can be used with any of the lepidopteran species that are
colonized in-house, along with other species available from outside
sources. The picture to the right shows the scoring of a baculovirus
bioassay
against Helicoverpa zea. |
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Cups containing Aedes
aegypti
larvae (left) are being dosed with a production lot of B.t.
israelensis for label standardization. We routinely test
B.t.i.
fermentation broths, concentrates, powders, granules,
briquets,
and other formulations from all over the world.
Bioassays are also performed as part of fermentation or formulation improvement efforts and storage stability studies. |
| The droplet-feeding bioassay
works remarkably
well for certain combinations of active ingredient and species. To the
right, droplets containing blue dye and baculovirus particles are being
presented to neonate larvae of the corn earworm, Helicoverpa
zea
. Fed larvae will be held on artificial diet for several days before
determining mortality. |
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We have used leaf-disk assays in a variety of ways. The collard leaf disks on the left were punched from plants that were treated and exposed to weather for several weeks. The disks were then infested with laboratory-reared diamondback moth larvae. |
In addition to the above types of assays, Benzon Research can evaluate additives for feeding stimulation or deterency, perform topical applications and direct injections to arthropods as small as ticks, and evaluate sublethal effects. |
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©2010 Benzon Research Inc.
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