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Services – Microbial & Bacterial Biofilm Solutions

Services

MBEC AssaysTM

Growth device for microbial biofilms


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Services ~ Agricultural Diseases Food Safety

The Problem

Bacterial, fungal and algal biofilms affect the health of crops and livestock and are implicated in Potato Ring Rot, Fusarium Head Blight (wheat/barley seeds/grains), Pierce's Disease (grapes, coffee, citrus fruit) and Bovine Mastitis.

  • Bacterial Ring Rot in potatoes is particularly devastating for seed potato producers who lose accreditation to sell product for a 5 year period if an infestation occurs.
  • Fusarium Head Blight in wheat and barley crops causing close to US$6B in losses in the US alone in the 1990's, and recently reaching US$1B in damage in Canada.
  • Pierce's Disease, costs an estimated US$220M annually in the California grape industry alone. Losses of US$14B have been reported in USA and Brazil grape and citrus crops due to Pierce's Disease.
  • Bovine Mastitis has resulted in economic losses of up to US$1.8B annually in the form of reduced milk production in dairy cattle.

Biofilms: A new understanding of these microbial communities is driving a revolution that may transform the science of microbiology

Our Solution

Developing solutions for Agricultural Diseases involves breaking the disease cycle, a process that requires both effective agents and appropriate protocols for control. Innovotech possesses the only high-throughput system, MBEC Assay™, to test fungicides, pesticides, biocides and disinfectants for efficacy against microbial and bacterial biofilm diseases and surface contamination. In addition, the company can develop in vitro models that mimic the natural environment are the starting point that allow the high-throughput testing of agents for efficacy. Substrates used to date in in vitro models include wood, cement, and plastic.

References:

  1. Biofilms of Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica and E. carotovora subsp. carotovora are less susceptible to antibiotics and biocides than planktonic populations.
  2. Use of the MBEC technology to study the role of biofilms on microbial pathogenesis and determine the anti-biofilm activity of biocides used on plants and agriculture.
  3. Characterization of Biofilm formation of Xylella fastidiosa In Vitro. (PDF)
  4. Biofilm bacteria: formation and comparative susceptibility to antibiotics. (PDF)
  5. The Evaluation of Commercially Available Disinfectant Combinations on Biofilms for Use in Slaughter Houses (ppt)