P-050 - Effects of Bacillus thuringiensis BEC168 on the Control of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes and Soil Insects

Plant-parasitic nematodes cause significant economic losses in agriculture worldwide. Bacillus thuringiensis BEC168 is a novel strain with proven efficacy against a broad spectrum of plant-parasitic nematodes and soil insects. This proprietary strain is a robust root colonizer and has demonstrated effectiveness against the three major plant-parasitic nematodes: root-knot, lesion, and cyst nematodes. Additionally, BEC168 exhibits insecticidal activity against coleopteran and lepidopteran soil insects. The strain was discovered through our AMS (Advanced Microbial Selection) process and has been widely tested in the field on row crops in the USA and Brazil.  BEC168 directly impacts nematodes by inhibiting molting and achieving 98% population control. In in planta studies, BEC168 significantly reduced the number of egg masses and galls per gram of dry root in both growth chamber and greenhouse trials. These findings were further validated in numerous field trials conducted across different crops over four years. When applied as a seed treatment, BEC168 consistently improved yields and reduced soil nematode counts in field trials. Beyond its nematicidal properties, BEC168 has demonstrated insecticidal activity in in vitro diet toxicity assays and field trials. BEC168 is a promising biocontrol agent for managing a broad spectrum of plant-parasitic nematodes and soil insects