Syngenta Overview: Challenges for Crop Protection · Syngenta Overview: Challenges for Crop...
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Mike Bushell CEUG, Bracknell, Sep 2014 Syngenta Overview: Challenges for Crop Protection Classification: PUBLIC
Transcript of Syngenta Overview: Challenges for Crop Protection · Syngenta Overview: Challenges for Crop...
Mike Bushell
CEUG, Bracknell, Sep 2014
Syngenta Overview: Challenges for Crop Protection
Classification: PUBLIC
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Contents
● The global challenge for Agriculture
● Syngenta overview
● Opportunities and Strategy
● Integrated Systems approaches
● The Good Growth Plan
Classification: PUBLIC
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The challenge: sustainably feed a growing population
70% of them depend
on farming
2bn more people
by 2050
Every day the world’s population increases by 200’000
870m people go to bed hungry
Classification: PUBLIC
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Environmental stresses are increasing
World stress map The change in climate is already reducing water and arable land
Source: UNEP, Cline, Syngenta
Climate change impact
High
Medium
Low
Agriculture
uses 70% of the
world’s fresh water
withdrawals
Classification: PUBLIC
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Global Food Security Challenges and Opportunities
● The Global Challenges are enormous
- Providing sustainable Food, Energy, Water Security for
a population of 7 billion today, and 10 billion by 2080
● The Sustainable Intensification of Agriculture
- The key concept from UK Foresight report
● ....defined as producing more output from the same area
of land while reducing the negative environmental
impacts and using all inputs more efficiently – land,
water, nutrients
Classification: PUBLIC
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How can we….?
Rural economies
Land People
Technology
Grow more from less
improve farm
productivity
build rural
prosperity
reduce agriculture’s
environmental
footprint
PUBLIC
Knowledge
Intensification
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Continued sales growth across all regions
3.8 bn +5% CER*
4.0 bn +10% CER
LATAM
North
America
4.2 bn +7% CER
1.9 bn +11% CER
EAME
APAC
52% sales from
emerging markets
in 2013
Integrated sales by region 2013
US$14 billion
*Underlying: excludes $256 million corn rootworm trait royalty income in 2012
Classification: PUBLIC
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Lawn and Garden
We are integrating technologies
Classification: PUBLIC
With the broadest
portfolio in the industry
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Major R&D sites located on three continents
OTHER SITES
Marker-assisted and seed breeding
capabilities
Global field station network
Global R&D capabilities
GREENSBORO
Formulation
Environmental Science
Research Triangle Park, NC
Biotechnology
R&D
JEALOTT’S HILL
Chemical Discovery
Weed Control
Formulation
Bioscience
Environmental Science
STEIN
Fungicides, Insecticides &
Professional Products
GOA
Chemistry
BEIJING
Biotechnology
R&D
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Syngenta Strategy; $1.5bn pa R&D Investment
Outperform
Innovate
Future Farmer
Integrate
PUBLIC
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The grower’s world is increasingly complex
Future Farmer
Global Financial Instability
Value Chain
Governments and Regulators
Societal Pressures
Environmental pressures
Input costs
Classification: PUBLIC
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Think about Agricultural Systems
Mechanisation including irrigation
Modern fertilizers
Crop protection
chemicals
Better seed varieties
Classification: PUBLIC
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Agribusiness: an essential industry
40% of the world’s food
would not exist without crop
protection products
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Innovating across technologies to transform the way crops are grown
Breeding
Native traits
GM traits
Seed care
Crop Protection
Nutrients, water
Machinery
Grower’s needs
Technology
Weed control
Insect control
Disease control
Nematode control
Yield potential
Nitrogen efficiency
Drought Quality traits
Labor shortage
Post harvest
Chemical solutions
Biological solutions
Services
Classification: PUBLIC
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Crop protection compounds: a long road to market
Profile
Develop
Evaluate
Discover
50-100,000
compounds
5000
compounds
1 - 2
30
Time
Development
Research
Stage
Gate
Process
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Safety all around
Protection of
employees Operator safety
Environment
Food People
Classification: PUBLIC
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State of Innovation in Crop Protection
● Major global companies continue to bring new Active
Ingredients to Market – e.g. Syngenta
- Maize and Sugar cane herbicide (HPPD)
- Broad spectrum fungicide family (SDHI’s) – foliar and ST
- New insecticides based on bisamide chemistry
2 sprays IZM 0.75 + Proline 0.4
13.6t/ha (+5.1t/ha)
Classification: PUBLIC
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ELATUSTM The future of soybean rust control
Classification: PUBLIC
Outstanding performance
compared to current
standards
Providing longer spray
intervals
Securing higher yields
Since 2000 rust
has caused over
$20bn of losses
Strobi-Triazole
2 sprays 21 days*
14 days* 1 spray
4 sprays 14 days*
*Interval between applications
70%
90% } Rust control
A step change technology
based on new SDHI chemistry
Treated Untreated
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Translating Scientific Information into Knowledge
From gene data across technologies and crops….
Corn
Wheat
Sorghum
Soybean
Tomato
Pepper
Cassava
Poplar
Melon
Stress Tolerance
Yield
Flowering
Fruit and petal color
Taste
Disease resistance
Nutrient efficiency
Insect Resistance
….to trait and marker knowledge within crops
Classification: PUBLIC
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Breeding for plant health, stress tolerance and consumer values
Classification: PUBLIC
Volatile
metabolites
Sugar
Organic
acids
Colour/
appearance
Amino
acids
Texture “There has never been a
better time to be a plant
scientist”
Precision breeding
approaches based on
modern technologies,
genetics and genomics
Flavour is built from many components
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GM Plants with insect resistance Corn borer resistant (Bt) maize Corn root worm resistant maize
Classification: PUBLIC
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Innovation in traits for Insect control?
● Bt proteins for control of lepidoptera/coleoptera
● VIP distinct moa
- stacked traits to complete spectrum and help manage
resistance
● Programmes with chemicals or BCA’s
● New Refugia concepts
● RNAi – a new paradigm for pest control?
Classification: PUBLIC
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Brazilian Coffee Jan 2008
PUBLIC
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Tanzania February 2012
PUBLIC
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Hainan China November 2008
PUBLIC
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Hyderabad September 2009
PUBLIC
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Rice: new solution to drive yield and simplify
Mechanized transplanting:
convenience and yield boost ~30% Manual transplanting:
labour intensive and hard work
Classification: PUBLIC
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10 t/ha yield integrated solution: Chennai March 2011
PUBLIC
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Poor soil fertility is generally obvious
Classification: PUBLIC
Modern soil science
Rhizosphere interactions
Micronutrients and NPK
NUE
Inoculants
Precision application
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Weeds are more than a nuisance!
● Weeds are the number 1
cause of yield loss
● Compete with the crop for
light, water and nutrients
● With a good fertiliser regime
you can grow 12t/ha maize
- or 6t maize and a lot of
weeds
Classification: PUBLIC
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Farm Sprayer 2012
Automatic boom height.
GPS guidance
Auto on-off
Self steering
Variable Rate Application
Record keeping (traceability)
Classification: PUBLIC
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HYVIDOTM: hybrid barley seed technology
Unique seed technology
innovation
Delivering outstanding yield
results under all growing
conditions
Cashback yield guarantee
offered for growers following
Syngenta protocols
Classification: PUBLIC
Delivering high-performing hybrid
barley seeds to growers at scale
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ICM in Vegetables
● Andalucia (Almeria) Spain
- 2008- 100% of peppers, cucumbers and egg plant
treated with ICM
- Combination of cultural, chemical and biological control
methods
PUBLIC
34 Classification: PUBLIC
More health
Less poverty
More biodiversity
Less degradation
More food
Less waste
One planet. Six commitments.
Make crops
more efficient
Increase average productivity
of the world’s major crops by
20% without using more land,
water or inputs
Rescue more
farmland
Improve the
fertility of 10
million hectares
of farmland on
the brink of
degradation
Look after every worker
Strive for fair
labor conditions
throughout our
entire supply
chain network
Empower smallholders
Reach 20 million
smallholders
and enable them
to increase
productivity
by 50%
Help biodiversity
flourish
Enhance
biodiversity on
5 million
hectares of
farmland
Help people stay safe
Train 20 million
farm workers on
labor safety,
especially in
developing
countries
The Good Growth Plan
We’ve made six commitments to help grow more food using fewer resources, while protecting nature, and at the same time helping people in rural communities live better lives
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Small-holder extension in Laikipia, Eastern Kenya: low cost plastic houses, water harvesting and links to markets
Classification: PUBLIC
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Water, Wells, Pumps and Drip Irrigation
Classification: PUBLIC
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Kilimo Salama: Insurance scheme (Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture)
Classification: PUBLIC
Plant Health Quarantine Licensed
Facilities
Successful Facilities Management
Peter Scotting BSc, PHSI
Dr Tony Holden, PHSI Dr Charles Lane, Fera
Legislation Relating To Plant Health
Plant Health (England) Order 2005(As Amended)
Implements the Council Directive in England
Plant Health (Wales) Order 2006(As Amended)
Implements the Council Directive in Wales
Commission Directive 2008/61/EC(As Amended)
Grants Licences to Import Prohibited MaterialSpecifies Conditions for Containment/Testing for Release
Plant Health Directive 2000/29/EC(As Amended)
EU Directive
Plant Health (England) Order 2005
• Schedules 1 and 2 - Prohibited plant pests
• Schedule 3 - Plants prohibited in all Member
States.
• Schedules 4 & 5 – Phytosanitary Certificate
requirements.
• Schedule 6 – Plant Passporting requirements
Types of licences issued
• Invertebrates
• Plant pathogens
• Plants
• Potatoes
• Soil
• Combinations of
the above
The 5 ‘E’s for successful quarantine
facilities management
• Evaluation of risk
• Escape routes
• Engineering facilities to minimise risk
• Education of users
• Enforcement of compliance
• Possible 6th
• Expect the unexpected
Evaluation of risk
• What type of organisms are you working with?
• Why can’t you use an indigenous organism?
• What risk do they pose to agriculture and the
natural environment?
• How do they spread?
• How do you kill them?
Escape routes - examples
• Air – windows, doors, ventilation
systems
• Water – sinks, washing-up, coolants,
spillages, burst pipes
• Waste – no general waste, waste
packaging (cardboard)
• People – scientific staff, ‘visitors’,
cleaners, porters, maintenance staff,
engineers
• Equipment – scientific, maintenance
• Material exchange - unauthorised
Engineering facilities
• Engineering out potential escape routes should be
the first line of containment as opposed to
procedures e.g.
• Seal windows, double doors, negative pressure
• Remove sinks, seal drains
• Remove rubbish bins
• Lock doors – swipe card access if possible for
essential personnel only
• Physical barriers – step over benches
• Buy dedicated scientific, cleaning and
maintenance kit and PPE for each facility and
label clearly
Educate users
• Ensure all users both scientific and non-scientific
understand the consequences of their actions
• Standard operating procedures both overarching
(Principles) and facility specific
• Induction training and competency sign off
• Regular refresher training
• Include: scientific staff, facilities managers and
contractors
Enforcement of compliance
• Develop a culture of ‘everyone is responsible’ for
ensuring compliance-not only their own work but also
others using the facility
• Encourage an open culture for reporting near misses and
identify improvements and enhanced training
• ID Facility and laboratory responsible persons to take
overall ownership for the facility
• Remove access if users fail to demonstrate competency
• Licence holder and deputies must work closely with PHSI
licensing inspectors to ensure continuous improvement
Expect the unexpected
• Plan maintenance work carefully-demand sign
off before work begins
• Discuss and seek approval from licensing
authority as appropriate
• Ensure facilities managers and contractors
understand risks
• ‘Tool-box talks’ at the start of major works
• Clarify communication lines, contact numbers
and callout procedures
• Ensure supply of containment and
decontamination supplies e.g. spillage kits,
appropriate disinfectants
• Avoid out of hours working for major projects
• Supervise work closely
‘Top tips’ for success
• Questions before you start: • Do you really need to work with a non-indigenous organism?
• Do you know how it spreads and how are you going to stop it?
• What sort of waste are you going to produce and how are you going
to kill it?
• Do we have the facilities to manage it?
• Are we licensed to work specifically with this organism?
• Consult you PHSI Licensing Inspector
• Facilities management: • Control access - manage contractors and visiting workers closely
• Develop an understanding of risk and spell out consequences
• Encourage a behaviour of shared responsibility – it’s not just the
licence holder and facilities managers’ responsibility
IPM in a Controlled
Environment By Neil Helyer
IPM Specialist, Fargro, UK
Sticky traps, banker plants, aphid control,
pesticides, thrips, spider mites, sciarid fly,
fungal disease control.
Integrated Pest Management
• Cultural: general hygiene, ground cover
materials, weed control, plant movement,
change cultivar, sticky traps.
• Biological: parasitoids, predators and
pathogens.
• Environmental: disease control for plant
and insect pathogens.
• Pesticide backup with selective chemicals.
Resistance management strategy
Sticky trap orientation
Mass trapping for thrips
Mass trapping
Aubergine as a trap / banker plant
Aphid control by parasitoids Aphidius colemani (for
round spp.) &
Aphidius ervi (for
elliptical spp.).
Other species available
• 1 : 1, up to 60 eggs /
female wasp.
• temperature 10 - 25oC
• good at 15oC up
Aphid control by predators Chrysoperla carnea (green
lacewing larva) .
• 1 : 250 aphids, more of
other prey.
• feed on most soft bodied
prey.
• can be introduced to
hedges to prevent pest
migration.
Aphid control by pathogens
Naturalis-L
Beauveria bassiana
• 1 : 1,000,000 (++)
• min 60% Rh, 80% at leaf
surface, 18oC to 35oC
• good curative, produces
epizootic infection.
• ideal for ‘hot spots’ or
mixing with most
insecticides.
Aphid control with pesticides
• Aphox: systemic, translaminar, vapour. IRAC 1A
• Calypso: contact, systemic. IRAC 4A
• Chess: contact, systemic, translaminar. IRAC 9B
• Gazelle: contact, systemic. IRAC 4A
• Movento: contact, systemic. IRAC 23
• Naturalis-L: contact, IRAC exempt
• Plant Invigorator: contact. IRAC exempt
• Pyrethrum 5 EC: contact, short persistence. ( 3 )
• Decis, Hallmark: contact, long persistence. ( 3 )
Common & trade
name, plant action.
Class of pesticide
Resistance code
Targeted system /
process
Mode of action
Aphox : pirimicarb
Contact, translaminar
carbamate
IRAC 1A
Nervous system Cholinesterase inhibitor
Calypso : thiacloprid
Contact, translaminar
chloronicotinyl
IRAC 4A
Nervous system Acetylcholine agonist
(mimic) [blocker]
Chess : pymetrozine
Contact, translaminar
pyridine - azomethine
IRAC 9B
Nervous system,
metabolic processes /
energy production
Selective feeding blocker
Conserve : spinosad
Contact, translaminar
spinosyn
IRAC 5
Nervous system Nicotinic acetylcholine
receptor agonist (mimic)
Decis : deltamethrin
Contact long persistence
pyrethroid
IRAC 3
Nervous system Sodium channel
modulator
Dynamec : abamectin
Contact, translaminar
avermectin
IRAC 6
Nervous system Chloride channel
activator
Imidasect :
imidacloprid, systemic.
neonicotinoid
IRAC 4A
Nervous system Acetylcholine agonist
(mimic) [blocker]
Lepinox : B. thuringiensis
Ingested stomach poison
microbial
IRAC 11
Metabolic processes Insect mid gut
membrane disruptor
Pyrethrum : pyrethrum
Contact, short persistence
pyrethrins
IRAC 3
Nervous system Sodium channel
modulator
Foliar Lattice
Linear
Sulphanate
Iron Chelate
(0.37% w/w)
Nitrogen (9.57%
w/w)
Natural products
Wax particles on their wings mix with
SBPI to form a sticky paste
This ‘Sticking Effect’ was confirmed
in the lab using both
T. vaporariorum & Bemisia tabaci.
Two Spotted Red
Spider Mite
Tetranychus
urticae
3 applications at 3
day intervals
90 – 100%
control
7 DAT
But eggs not
affected!
Hemispherical
Scale insects
Saisettia
coffeae
1 application 90 – 100 % mortality
1 DAT
Eggs unaffected!
Similar results on
Abgralaspis cyanifolii
and Coccus hesperidum
Thrips control • Synthetic version of sex aggregation pheromone
as produced by males, attracts both male and
female WFT, adults can become desensitised
after prolonged use.
Thrips control by predatory mites Amblyseius cucumeris,
• Attack young larval stage.
• Preventive; eat 1/2 to 1 first
instar larvae / day.
• Can survive on other food
sources (pollen, glandular
hairs, etc.).
Hypoaspis miles
• soil living predator eats
larvae / pupae of Sciarid
and other pests.
Predatory mites
Amblyseius cucumeris
• Controlled Release
System (CRS) sachets
• Waterproof bag
• Active for 6 - 8 weeks
• Also available as
loose shaker material
Thrips control by predatory insects Orius spp: flower bugs
• adults and larvae eat most
stages of thrips, 1 : 35
larvae / day.
• good on long season crops.
Chrysoperla carnea
• generalist predator of most
soft bodied pests: aphids,
mealybug, moth eggs,
spider mites/caterpillar, etc.
Spider mite diapause
• Mites leave the crop in late September to mid October and over winter off the plants.
• May be found as orange / red adults in any crack or crevice.
• Also found at the base of concrete stanchions and path edges.
Spider mite control with predators
Phytoseiulus persimilis:
1 : 5 - 20 / day, average
2 eggs laid / day.
• in use over 45 years on
many crops.
• optimum 22oC.
• less efficient at low Rh
and above 28oC.
• susceptible to many
pesticides.
Sciarid fly control Hypoaspis miles:
average 1 larvae per day,
min 11oC, good in all
growing media.
Nematodes: min 10 - 12oC
in moist compost,
curative.
Atheta coriaria: up to 5
larvae per day, min 10oC
• most media, better in
open beds, curative.
Mode of action of Prestop
A broad-spectrum bio-fungicide, multiple
modes of action, no chemical residue
and little potential for resistance
Hyperparasitism is the main control
mechanism
Enzyme activities play an important
role
Colonization of root and foliar surfaces
inhibits the penetration of pathogens
Inducer of Systemic Resistance
For control of Botrytis and various root diseases on
ornamentals and vegetables and for Didymella (gummy
stem blight) on cucumbers.
Sulphur vaporisers
• Legal as supplementary
micro-nutrient.
• Side effect on powdery
mildew.
• Negative effects on
many beneficials.
Commodity Substance: Potassium
Hydrogen Carbonate
• Date of expiry: 31 August 2019 (unless earlier
decisions are made or further prescribed extensions
are granted).
• Situations: Protected and outdoor crops
• Maximum total dose (outdoor crops):
• 60 kg potassium bicarbonate/ha/annum
• Maximum individual dose:
• 20 g potassium bicarbonate/litre
• Good (curative) results at 5 g potassium
bicarbonate / litre + 2 ml SB Plant Invigorator.
Photography with mobile phone and linen tester lens
Thank you for your attention
Bracknel IPM
Les Lane - Managing Director.
Q: How many academics does it take to
change a lightbulb ?
A: None. That's what research students are for.
A: Five:
1 One to write the grant proposal
2 one to do the mathematical modelling
3 one to type the research paper,
4 one to submit the paper for publishing,
5 and one to hire a student to do the work.
*The potential to use “SMART”
spectral filter
tunnel covers as
part of an IPM
growing regime
FAR RED 700-800 nm Influences photomorphogenesis, hence affecting the growth process
NEAR
INFRA- RED
800-1300 nm Useless for plants - transfers heat inside the greenhouse during daytime
FAR
INFRA- RED
> 1300 nm Transfers heat. Radiation from 7 to 14 mic. and above is responsible for
heat losses from a greenhouse during night
Lets see what we’ve
got to work with
1 nm is = 1 billionth of a metre
Infra red occurs from
750 nms up to 1mm
and makes up to
around 50% of solar
radiation
The 3 levels of control in the UV levels.
Reading University 2002
Research Student Dimitrios Doukas
Supervisor Professor Chris Payne
The method of testing.
UVI/EVA
SteriLite
Anti Botrytis
Film Solatrol
Insects released in the central chamber.
Assessed in 2 ways -1 yellow sticky traps – 2 harvesting the plant into a
plastic bag freezing it and counting the number of insects.
Black
The experiment was
conducted 16 times so as
to eliminate East South West
North preferences.
Choice of plant was
cucumber.
Black
RESULTS
whitefly
Film Type Traps Plants Total
UVI/EVA 68.3 121.7 190.06
Solatrol 6.7 25.3 31.93
SteriLite 3.6 13.9 17.56
Anti Botrytis 4.3 13.5 17.81
Conclusions.
That Whitefly utilize UV radiation for navigation.
That flight activity was also reduced under UV
blocking films.
RESULTS
Trial uvi/eva solatrol anti Botrytis Sterilite
1 30 20 20 11
2 37 20 11 12
3 41 7 10 14
4 50 35 33 22
5 34 5 13 15
6 37 10 9 10
7 24 15 12 11
8 42 21 16 12
9 33 10 9 10
10 53 28 21 9
11 55 11 31 40
12 50 15 8 8
13 40 28 3 11
14 70 12 4 9
15 35 20 5 4
16 42 15 10 3
673 272 215 201 Total
42.0625 17 13.4375 12.5625 Average per trial
Encarsia Formosa
Conclusions.
UV light also affects parasite dispersal.
However they disperse more readily under UV blocking
films than whitefly does.(presumably in search of a host)
Tomato Blight (alternaria) was first observed 21 days after transplanting
in the normal spectrum (control) greenhouse. They increased rapidly to
477.4 lesions per leaf approximately 1 month later.
Under the UV blocking cover the disease was not observed until 1 month
later than the control and the number of lesions was less than 0.5% of the
control throughout the growing season. The average weight of production
was approximately 40% higher under the UV blocking film than the control.
Similar results were obtained with a wide range of other crops including
both bell and sweet peppers as well as aubergines.
Mark Gill 9th September 2014
A scientist’s perspective of controlled environments
2
Overview
● How we find new products
● What we use controlled environments for at Syngenta
● Experimental design and the concept of variables
● Controlled environment variables
● Practical aspects of controlled environments
- Water and drainage
- Containment
- Safety
● Summary
3
Finding New Products – the screening cascade
Lead Generation
Research Development Sales
Chemical Logistics
Bio-materials
Research Projects Candidate Compounds Dev. Candidates Products
Mode of Action and Biokinetics
Weed Control
Insect Control
Fungal Control
Discovery
Biology
Seed Treatment
Lawn and Garden
Stage 1 Field
Trials
(via Biological
Assessment)
The invention process is driven by whole organism biology and crucially supported by our
understanding of the mechanism of action
Classification: Public
4
Finding New Products - the innovation cycle
Analyse
Synthesise
Test
Design
5
Biological Sciences – Twin Site Locations
Classification: INTERNAL USE ONLY
Stein
Jealott’s Hill
6
Discovery: high throughput whole organism Biology
● Whole organism contacted by test chemical
● Insects, plants, fungi
● Very high throughput assays possible ~200K compounds per year
● Low sample requirement (<1mg)
? Model species
? Life cycle
? Test Environment
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Business inspired Discovery Biology
● Real crop protection targets
- Sucking and chewing pests,
- Rusts, leaf spots, mildews, late blight
- Warm/cool season weeds in glasshouse
● More realistic environments (leaf/soil) and applications (spray weeds)
● Replicated assays
● Reproducible data (statistically validated)
● Dose response possible
● Low sample requirement (< 1mg)
● Throughput reduced to 60,000 compounds per year
8
Organisms of agronomic relevance
9
Globally relevant pests/crops require a wide range of controlled environments
10
What we use controlled environments for at Syngenta
● Biomaterials
- Plant propagation
- crops and weeds
- Insect culturing
- Pathogen production
● Storage of bioassays
- Chemicals or traits
- Biotic or abiotic
- Plates vs plants
- Cabinets vs rooms
11
Experimental design and the concept of variables
● Independent variable
- Changed by the scientist to see effect
- A good experiment has only one independent variable. As the scientist changes the
independent variable, he or she observes what happens.
- E.g. chemical input
● Dependent variable
- Represents output or effect caused by the independent variable
- E.g. insect mortality
● Controlled variables
- A variable may be thought to alter the dependent or independent variables, but may
not actually be the focus of the experiment. That variable will be kept constant or
monitored to try to minimise its effect on the experiment.
- E.g. temperature, humidity, light
12
Controlled/other variables continued
Variable
● Temperature
● Light
● Humidity
● Ventilation
● Pest – insect, weed or pathogen
● Time of year?
● Position on plate
● Position of plate
● Agar, diet used on plate
● Plants
● Person infesting/setting up the plate
● Person assessing
Control measure
● Controlled environment
● Controlled environment
● Controlled environment
● Controlled environment
● Controlled environment
● Controlled environment
● Controlled environment
● Controlled environment/replicates
● SOPs/training
● Controlled environment
● SOPs/training
● SOPs/training
13
Controlled environment variables
● Light
● Temperature
● Humidity
● Ventilation
14
Lighting
● How does the position affect my cultures/tests?
- Walls
15
Lighting
● How does the position affect my cultures/tests?
- Ceiling
16
Lighting
● Shelves and problems associated
- Who likes pizza?
- Solution in this case
17
Lighting
● Shelves and problems associated
18
Lighting
● Eliminating heat from shelf lighting
- Water cooling vs. air cooling
- LEDs
19
Lighting
● Spectrum
● LEDs vs fluorescent tubes
● UV/sun simulation
● Uniformity
20
Temperature
● What is it for and how precise does it need to be?
● Synchronisation of insect life cycles for testing, e.g. P. xylostella
- @25ºC, 60% RH
- Egg to L2: 5 days
- Egg to L3: 7 days
- Egg to adult: 15 days
- In the field
- Egg to adult: 30 to 80 days
● Uniformity: abiotic stress management
Egg
• 2 days
Larva
• 11 days
Pupa
• 2 days
Adult
21
Humidity
● How important is it?
- Plates vs plants
● What ranges are achievable?
● How do I supply it?
● What happens during watering?
22
Ventilation
● Rooms vs. cabinets
23
Ventilation
● How will airflow/velocity/exchange affect my test?
24
Ventilation
● Is location within the cabinet important?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
7DAT 8DAT 9DAT
Well c
ou
nt
mo
rtality
70%
<
Top
Top box
Middle
Middle box
Bottom
bottom box
Cabinet 14
Cabinet 14 box
25
Quality control
● How do we know the experiment worked?
● How do we know insects (dependent variables) tested at one point in the
year react in the same way to insects tested later on with different
chemicals (independent variables)?
● Were there any influences from controlled (or not so controlled)
variables?
26
Practical aspects - water and drainage/containment
● How do I get water to my plants/cabinets?
● Where does the water go?
● How do I ensure that none of my pests escape down the plughole?
27
Drainage/containment
28
Practical aspects - containment
● How do I keep insects in/out?
● How do I keep people out?
29
Safety
● What are the hazards with working in a CE room?
- Airborne allergens from living organisms
- Heat
- Space/manual handling
- Lone working
- CO2
● How do we mitigate against those?
30
Allergens
● Clean air cabinets best way to
mitigate against frass
● Operator can safely work with
hazards
● Horizontal flows best
● Make sure they fit in the room
● Make sure they don’t disrupt room
air flow
31
Manual handling
Hazard
● Bending to water plants on shelves
● Lifting insect cages onto shelves
Control
● Adjustable/remote controlled
shelving
● Remove shelving and use trolleys
● Change cages from perpex to
netting (lighter to carry)
● Remove cages – go free range
● Remove shelves
32
Use of CO2/lone working
● High CO2 alarms
● Happy safe workers
● Vision panels
33
● Controlled environments are integral to the research carried out at
Syngenta
● The quality of experiments and research is dependent on the quality of
the controlled environments we use
● Types of environments needs to be carefully considered and tested
depending on need, particularly when plated-based assays are involved
Summary
Bioassay
Plants
Insects
Chemicals
Result
34
Bringing plant potential to life………………..
