Leaders in research, development and innovation

Biocontrol and biostimulant research
R&D+I
R&D+I
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R&D+I

45% of the company’s staff is made up of research staff.

Research, development and innovation (R&D+I)

Since Futureco Bioscience was founded in 1993, the R&D&I Department has been researching and developing products based on natural extracts and microbial agents with biostimulant or biopesticide activity.

The R&D department has a high screening capacity to select biostimulant microorganisms for plant biological functions, or microorganisms with biopesticidal activity (CBAs) for the control of fungi (biofungicides), bacteria (biobactericides), insects (bioinsecticides) or pathogenic nematodes (bionematicides), both in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo.

More than 1,500 in vitro bioassays and 200 ex vivo bioassays are conducted annually, selecting the most effective and innovative active ingredients and CBAs. In addition, around 300 in vivo (in-plant) bioassays are carried out annually in climatic chamber or greenhouse conditions, where both the selected active ingredients and their formulations are evaluated and validated. This capability makes Futureco Bioscience one of the most active companies worldwide in the development of biostimulants and biopesticides.

Today, as a result of investment in R&D+I, 45% of the company’s staff is made up of research staff.

The department’s main lines of research are:

R&D+I

MICRO-ORGANISMS

Futureco Bioscience has its own collection of more than 3000 fungi and bacteria. After their identification and molecular characterisation, their efficacy as biocontrol agents on different targets (pests, nematodes, fungi and phytopathogenic bacteria) or their biostimulant action (anti-salt/hydric stress, phytoremediation, “rebalancing” of biogeochemical cycles (N, P, C…), and rooting, among others) is evaluated.

R&D+I

MICROBIAL METABOLITES

Identification of organic compounds of microbial origin (protein compounds and peptides), with potential activity in pathogen control or as biostimulants. The aim is to identify micro-organisms producing bioactive compounds of interest in order to add value to new formulations.

R&D+I

BOTANICAL EXTRACTS

Of particular interest are those with an antimicrobial or insecticidal effect. Extracts are selected from the best quality sources and, after formulation, evaluated against different targets using a proprietary standardised system.

R&D+I

SEAWEED

Formulations based on multicellular brown algae (Phaeophyceae) of the order Fucales (Ascophyllum nudosum) and Laminariales (Laminaria digita, Eklonia maxima), or unicellular cyanobacteria grouped in colonies (Spirulina pratensis) with the aim of developing new formulations that allow the crop to overcome different abiotic stresses.

R&D+I

PEPTIDES

Antimicrobial peptides produced by fungi described in the literature or worked from the microorganisms included in the Futureco Bioscience Collection. Prototypes based on peptides with nematicidal activity selected from by-products of the agri-food industry are also being evaluated.

R&D+I

RNAi

RNA interference (RNAi)-based biopesticides: a defence system of eukaryotic organisms against exogenous RNA. This technology can be used to knock down the expression of any gene of interest. Thus, an RNAi-based biopesticide can inactivate specific genes of the pathogen or any target organism.

R&D+I projects

Between 1999 (date of foundation of the R&D+I Department) and 2018, the
The main projects developed or in progress are:

1999-2009

NOFLY

Internal Project: Development of the bioinsecticide NOFLY based on the entomopathogenic fungus Paecilomyces fumosoroseus strain F9901 for whitefly control. This project resulted in Futureco Bioscience’s first commercial bioinsecticide for the control of whitefly and thrips, now registered in 15 countries and under registration in 7 more.

2005-2007

NOPIC

CDTI project: Development of a bioinsecticide based on the fungus Metarrhizium anisopliae strain TF251 for the control of the black banana weevil. Five were sampled from the Canary Islands and 48 strains of Metarrhizium were isolated. The selected strain (TF251) was characterised and a formulated prototype (WP) was designed. Its efficacy was evaluated under laboratory, semi-field and field conditions. Strain TF251 is available for further development.

2007-2009

NONEM

CIDEM project: Preliminary development of a new nematicide for the biological control of phytonematodes based on a bacterial strain (confidential). This research project laid the groundwork for the development of future bionematicides also formulated from bacteria (and which have led to the bionematicides currently available in the pipeline strains B410, B25 and B24).

2012-2014

MICROSAFE

CDTI project: Preliminary development of a biofungicide and bactericide for the control of Rhizoctonia and Sclerotinia fungi and Erwinia bacteria in potato, lettuce and tomato crops, respectively. Bacteria B2017 (Pseudomonas putida) and B2021 (P. azotoformans) were isolated during this project. In the year 2014-2021, the required studies for its registration as a biofungicide-biobactericide including other fungi and bacteria of commercial interest have been carried out.

2016-2018

ENZYTECH

CIDEM Project. Development of Enzymatic Technologies (of microbial origin) from plant by-products from the agri-food industry to obtain bioactive molecules with low-risk biostimulant and/or phytosanitary action. Different protein hydrolysates with high nematicidal activity (Meloidogyne) were identified in cucumber and tomato crops.

2018-2021

INNOLIVAR

Licitation UCO and Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (FEDER Funds). Development of a bioinsecticide based on the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium brunneum strain EAMb 09/01-Su (isolated by the Applied Entomology group of the University of Cordoba) for the control of the olive fruit fly. The project consisted of strain characterisation, design of formulated prototypes, field evaluation and soil persistence studies using molecular markers.

2018-2022

PALVIP

INTERREG-POCTEFA project (FEDER funds). Collaborative project in which Futureco Bioscience participated producing 2 microbial biofungicides (B2017 and B2021) and a botanical extract (BESTCURE) which were evaluated for the control of downy mildew, powdery mildew and Botrytis in grapevine and Moniliosis in stone fruit trees under field conditions (in Spain and France).

2018-2023

FUTUROMICS

Internal project. Evaluation of the effect of different commercial (e.g. Bioradicant, Radisan, Fitomaat, Hydromaat, Cromaliv, Ultra V, among others) and experimental (B2017OD, B25OD, B24OD etc) products on different crops using molecular transcriptomics techniques that allow simultaneous evaluation of the expression levels of multiple genes in a given tissue at a specific time.

Forthcoming launches

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Partner organisations

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Ecoletters

Publications that demonstrate the efficacy, quality and safety of Futureco Bioscience products.

Articles

Published in specialized journals, with which the R&D Department of Futureco Bioscience contributes to the advancement of agrobiotechnology and the scientific community that allows it to grow and expand.

Citogrower 2% increases the size, number and weight of fruits on avocado crops
07/11/2023

Hectares treated with CITOGROWER® 2% averaged 2210 kg/ha while those treated with control averaged 1922.5 kg/ha. That is, CITOGROWER® 2% achieved a difference of 287.5 kg/ha: 13% increase in production per hectare.

How to improve cucumber curdling and rice fattening with Ecormon
28/04/2023

In fattening rice, Ecormon showed a significant increase in fruit set, number of grains per panicle and total grain yield. Ecormon showed a higher number of flowers, fruit per plant and cucumber fruit set.

Bioradicante not only increases root germination and length
27/01/2023

Transcriptomic analysis has shown that Bioradicante stimulates nitrate uptake and modulates cell membrane and cell wall dynamics, key to the growth and development of the root system and consequent aerial growth.

Yield increase in Criolla potato crop (Solanum phureja) with Botamisol 45
18/10/2022

The objective is to evaluate the efficacy of the biostimulant Botamisol 45 in the cultivation of Criolla potato (Solanum phureja).

NOFLY exceeds the biological standard efficacy and proves its relevance in the reduction of chemical treatments
21/06/2022

The aim of this work was to evaluate the efficacy of NOLFY WP alone and in combination with Pyriproxyfen and Acetamiprid as an integrated pest management approach, evaluating its efficacies in comparison with chemical and biological standard treatments.

Biological insecticide NOFLY is effective against whitefly in soybean
20/06/2022

The aim of this work was to evaluate the application of NOLFY WP alone and in combination with Pyriproxyfen as an integrated pest management approach to the strategy for whitefly control in soybean, also comparing NOFLY WP efficacy with another entomopathogenic fungi based product (Beauveria bassiana).

Bestcure controls “acid rot” acetobacter aceto in grapevine
12/05/2022

Bestcure shows highly effective results against acid rot Acetobacter aceti in grapes

CITOGROWER AND CITOFOUR remain stable for at least four years
14/11/2021

6-BAP was quantified and pH and density were measured in batches stored for different periods of time.

HYDROMAAT REDUCES DROUGHT STRESS IMPACT ON TOMATO PLANTS
10/10/2021

HydroMaat can effectively ameliorate drought stress in tomato. Treatments did significantly reverse drought-responses in terms of growth (shoot height, LMA), water status and osmotic response (RWC and proline) as well as reduced the effect of drought on photosynthesis.

Efficacy of BESTCURE® against bacterial spot and early blight on tomatoes
28/08/2017

BESTCURE® showed a high bactericidal potential on tomato against Xanthomonas compestris pv versicatoria and Alternaria solani.

Fungicide activity of Bestcure® against Botrytis in tomato crops
20/03/2017

BESTCURE® has a high fungicidal activity against the fungus Botrytis cinerea in tomato.

FitoMaat improves resistance to hydric stress of tomato plants
02/03/2016

The application of FitoMaat from 1 to 2% improves the state of tomato plants in severe hydric stress conditions. For this reason, we conclude that FitoMaat is a good solution to prevent and treat the effects of climate conditions as scarcity of water and ensure the productivity of the crops succumbed to hydric stress

Lysobacter enzymogenes B25, a novel PGPR strain with nematicidal activity
27/07/2015

Le-B25 seems to be a good potential active ingredient for a future bionematicide with an additional biostimulant effect

Evaluation of the efficacy of Bestcure® for the control of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni on Stonefruit (plum)
29/05/2015

Bestcure® at all the dosage rates tested was found to be effective regarding number of fruits infected, as well as fruit severity. Results were consistent with better than the standard chemical treatment applied.

Efficacy of Bestcure for the control of Phytophtora infestans and Erwinia spp in tomato crops Lycopersicon esculentum.
05/03/2015

According to the doses evaluated for the control of Phytophthora infestans and Erwinia spp, as in the cultivation of tomato Lycopersicon esculentum, three applications of Bestcure® at a dose range of 1.0l/ha to 1.25l/ha are effective to prevent diseases by these fungi, beginning fifteen days after transplantation, and at the range of applications fortnight.

Efficacy of NOFLY WP against Western Flower Thrip (Frankliniella occidentalis) on Pepper in greenhouse conditions
30/05/2014

The product NOFLY WP applied at doses of (100-200 g/HL) shows the same control than the chemical standard on western flower thip larvae and fairly good efficacy on adults. 

Compatibility of the entomopathogenic fungus Isaria fumosorosea with pollinators.
11/03/2014

The bioinsectide NOFLY® WP has demonstrated a very low toxicity profile for pollinators (bees and bumblebees) in trials of oral and contact toxicity, resulting in a product entirely appropriate for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs and for biological control support.

Compatibility tests of the agrobiological insecticide NOFLY with
natural enemies
07/02/2014

No adverse effects of Paecilomyces fumosoroseus strain FE9901 (NOFL WP) on non-target organisms evaluated in laboratory and semi-field conditions where observed.

Compatibility tests of the biopesticide NOFLY with widely used commercial agrochemical insecticides and fungicides.
23/01/2014

NOFLY is compatible with other insecticides and fungicides and leaves no residue, no waiting time or re-entry intervals (REI)

No antibiotic and toxic metabolites produced by the biocontrol agent Pseudomonas putida strain B2017
29/04/2020

Written by Oriol Daura-Pich, Iker Hernandez, Lola Pinyol-Escala, Jose M. Lara, Sonia Martínez-Servat, Carolina Fernandez and Belén López-García. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 367, 2020.

Design of Bacterial Strain-Specific qPCR Assays Using NGS Data and Publicly Available Resources and Its Application to Track Biocontrol Strains
26/03/2020

Written by Iker Hernández, Clara Sant, Raquel Martínez and Carolina Fernández. Evolutionary and Genomic Microbiology, a section of the journal Frontiers in Microbiology, 1-11 (English) 2020

Diseño y evaluación de prototipos bioinsecticidas para el control de la mosca del olivo
10/01/2020

Escrito por M. Almazán1, V. Quero1, L. Pinyol–Escala1, M. Caminal1, S. Martínez–Servat1, e. Quesada–Moraga2, I. Garrido–Jurado2, M. Yousef–Naef2, J.M. lara1, C. Fernàndez1. Revista de Fruticultura • Nº73 2020.

Pseudomonas putida strain B2017 produced as technical grade active ingredient controls fungal and bacterial crop diseases
10/07/2019

Written by Clara Oliver, Iker Hernández, Marta Caminal, José M. Lara & Carolina Fernàndez. Taylor & Oliver, 2019

Draft Genome Sequence and Assembly of a Lysobacter enzymogenes Strain with Biological Control Activity against Root Knot Nematodes
10/05/2017

Written by Iker Hernández, Carolina Fernàndez. Genome Announc, Vol. 5, 2017.

Control of blue mould and bitter rot of apples, and brown rot of peaches by Citrus aurantium extractbased product BIOLASTING®
10/03/2015

Written by M. Almazána, J.M. Lara and C. Fernández. Acta Horticulturae, 1-8, 2015.

Natural occurrence of fungal egg parasites of root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne spp. in organic and integrated vegetable production systems in Spain
10/05/2013

Written by Giné A., Bonmatí M., Sarro A., Stchiegel A., Valero J., Ornat C., Fernández C. & Sorribas F.J. BioControl, 58, 407-416 (Català) 2013

Evaluación in vitro de la capacidad antagonista de Trichoderma lignorum FEEP TL0601 frente a Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici
10/02/2011

Escrito por Sarro A., Lara J.M. & Fernández C. Phytoma 225, 47-50 (Español) 2011