R&D Tenders

Biofil Microbiological, Gene-technological and Biochemical Ltd. has significant professional background and results in microbiological research. The company widens research activities: in addition plant growth promoter and soil meliorator microbiological products, research on bacterial insecticides is carried out within a project co-financed by the European Union. Research opens up a new direction in the field of biological protection against harmful insect larvae.

Various soil bacteria exhibit antagonistic effects against insects, and therefore represent valuable sources for biopesticides development. Their worldwide application has an approximate 30 years history in biological plant protection. Bacillus species produce a variety of toxins and, due to host specific effects, only harm certain groups of insects. These compounds are harmless to humans, vertebrates and plants, they degrade naturally.

The researchers of BioFil Ltd. are the first in Hungary who used so-called Bt (B. thüringiensis) type strains specifically for research purposes, and developed a complex laboratory testing system that enables the selection of toxin-producing Bt strains, characterization of the insecticide effect spectrum of strains, identification of toxins and the respective coding genes. Research and development process was supported by state-of-the-art microbiological, molecular biological and biotechnological tools in cooperation with the strategic partners.

The microbial laboratory test system is capable of checking the ability to produce endosporous and parasporal crystalline limescale strains isolated from contaminated soil, plant, fallen pest insect (fermentation optimisation), or the produced toxin crystal shape (scanning EM) as well as toxin protein size (gelelectrophortical analysis) to identify larvicide(s) and entomopatogenic toxin(s).

Research will allow the development of new types of toxins and will open up a new direction in the field of biological protection. The project provides unique toolkit for the development of environment-friendly and complex microbiology-based biopesticides which, in addition to synthetic insecticides, represent an alternative, natural and sustainable solution.

The three-year project under the Central Hungarian Operational Programme (KMOP-1.1.1.-08 / 1-2008-0042) is co-financed by the European Union.