<b>Evaluation of two different culture media for the development of biopesticides based on <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i> and their application in larvae of <i>Aedes aegypti</i></b> - doi: 10.4025/actascitechnol.v35i1.13831

Abstract

The bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) generates certain toxins with pesticide action, which can be used on the control of transmissible diseases by culicides, specially Aedes aegypti, the dengue vector. This biopesticide has been produced by submerged fermentation and, in Brazil, this production has been made by very little research centers and, more recently, by a unique small enterprise. For the implementation of a viable vectors control program through biopesticides, some studies about culture media are essential in order to join efficiency and low costs. In this way, agroindustrial wastes or by-products have been used as a nutrient source for the culture media production. In this study, corn steep liquor, a corn industrial processing by-product and tryptose, both with / without sugar addition, were compared as culture media. Cellular growth was evaluated by optical density at 620 nm, spore production by total viable cell count and LC₅₀ by bioassays against 4^th instar larvae. Among the four examined substrates, the medium composed by glucose plus corn steep liquor presented the best spore production and bioassay results.