The Development of new Methods to Screen Novel Plant Fungicides and Plant Defence Inducers

There is an increasing interest in the use of biological control fungicides and plant defense inducers. Biological control fungicides include multiple product classes, such as microorganisms and natural plant extracts with multiple modes of action. Plant defense inducers activate the plants own defense mechanism. When used alone or combined with traditional fungicides these products lead to a reduction in the risk of fungicide resistance development. In some crop cultures biological control fungicides and plant defense inducers are the only products available for fungal pathogen control to the farmer.

Currently, screening of biological control fungicides and plant defense inducers against fungal pathogens is time consuming and requires the need of multiple experimental methodologies. Epilogic is launching in 2024 standardized in vitro and in vivo tests for such products. These standardized tests will help to speed up the development and availability of biological control fungicides to farmers. The tests will lead the way for standardizing fungicide resistance monitoring for biological control.

EpiLogic GmbH – a Tentamus company – is a company that has been specializing in plant fungal pathogen studies over the past 25 years. The company has a strong focus on the adaption and resistance of fungal pathogens to fungicides. Each year EpiLogic samples fungal pathogens across mainland Europe for such studies. EpiLogic works with the agrochemical industry, research institutes and authorities to provide an accurate picture on fungal pathogen resistance development.