Reference number : GC-2017-Q1-00444, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Bidochka, Michael (Brock University), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : Ontario, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Engage Grants for Universities, program name french : Subventions d'engagement partenarial pour les universités, program purpose english : One of the goals of Crop Defenders Ltd., an integrated pest management (IPM) company, is to utilize naturally_x000D_
occurring strains of microorganisms in order to control insect pests. These biopesticides benefit the growers by_x000D_
enhancing integrated pest management (IPM), resistance management, improving the yield, quality and_x000D_
marketability of the fresh produce. Crop Defenders Ltd. is working with very promising crop producers that_x000D_
have demand for high quality microbials for pest control in Canada and internationally._x000D_
One of the foci of Crop Defenders Ltd. is to employ species of fungi that infect insects in order to control insect_x000D_
pests of crops in Ontario, Canada and internationally. Crop Defenders Ltd has isolated over 250 strains of fungi_x000D_
in Ontario and are assessing these endemic strains in a biological control effort._x000D_
In order to assess the potential for the use of the strains of fungi that Crop Defenders has in agriculture it is_x000D_
necessary first to be able to identify which fungal species they have isolated. This would also be important if_x000D_
the fungus is released for insect control in order to be able to track the viability, persistence and efficacy of the_x000D_
strain._x000D_
Our laboratory at Brock University has at least 25 years of experience in identifying fungal species,_x000D_
particularly, insect pathogenic fungi. We will use at least two molecular markers using polymerase chain_x000D_
reaction (PCR) to identify the fungal species in comparison to previously identified isolates. We will compare_x000D_
these fungal isolates in a phylogenetic analysis in order to place the fungi in a taxonomic context. Furthermore,_x000D_
we will be experimenting with rapid DNA extraction protocols in order to streamline the entire process of_x000D_
fungal identification., program purpose french : One of the goals of Crop Defenders Ltd., an integrated pest management (IPM) company, is to utilize naturally_x000D_
occurring strains of microorganisms in order to control insect pests. These biopesticides benefit the growers by_x000D_
enhancing integrated pest management (IPM), resistance management, improving the yield, quality and_x000D_
marketability of the fresh produce. Crop Defenders Ltd. is working with very promising crop producers that_x000D_
have demand for high quality microbials for pest control in Canada and internationally._x000D_
One of the foci of Crop Defenders Ltd. is to employ species of fungi that infect insects in order to control insect_x000D_
pests of crops in Ontario, Canada and internationally. Crop Defenders Ltd has isolated over 250 strains of fungi_x000D_
in Ontario and are assessing these endemic strains in a biological control effort._x000D_
In order to assess the potential for the use of the strains of fungi that Crop Defenders has in agriculture it is_x000D_
necessary first to be able to identify which fungal species they have isolated. This would also be important if_x000D_
the fungus is released for insect control in order to be able to track the viability, persistence and efficacy of the_x000D_
strain._x000D_
Our laboratory at Brock University has at least 25 years of experience in identifying fungal species,_x000D_
particularly, insect pathogenic fungi. We will use at least two molecular markers using polymerase chain_x000D_
reaction (PCR) to identify the fungal species in comparison to previously identified isolates. We will compare_x000D_
these fungal isolates in a phylogenetic analysis in order to place the fungi in a taxonomic context. Furthermore,_x000D_
we will be experimenting with rapid DNA extraction protocols in order to streamline the entire process of_x000D_
fungal identification., agreement title english : Rapid identification of insect pathogenic fungi for commercial production, agreement title french : Rapid identification of insect pathogenic fungi for commercial production, agreement number : EGP, agreement value : 25000.0, agreement start date : 2017-04-25, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year. (2017-2018 to 2018-2019), additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier. (2017-2018 à 2018-2019), owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada