Towards sustainable vector control: Innovative substrate identification for developing eco-friendly, cost-effective, and highly potent biopesticides

The unavailability of biological insecticides for mosquitoes’ control in Tunisia and their high cost make chemical pesticides the most used solution. In the present study, the development of a bio-sourced media based on agriculture by-product and free biological material was conducted for the genera...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Fatma Benjeddou, Ines Mnif, Marie Rossignol, Dhouha Ghribi, Slim Tounsi, Fabrice Chandre, Raida Zribi-Zghal
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Biological Control
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1049964425000787
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850144609798193152
author Fatma Benjeddou
Ines Mnif
Marie Rossignol
Dhouha Ghribi
Slim Tounsi
Fabrice Chandre
Raida Zribi-Zghal
author_facet Fatma Benjeddou
Ines Mnif
Marie Rossignol
Dhouha Ghribi
Slim Tounsi
Fabrice Chandre
Raida Zribi-Zghal
author_sort Fatma Benjeddou
collection DOAJ
description The unavailability of biological insecticides for mosquitoes’ control in Tunisia and their high cost make chemical pesticides the most used solution. In the present study, the development of a bio-sourced media based on agriculture by-product and free biological material was conducted for the generation of commercially valuable biopesticide from BUPM98 Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis strain. Through the physico-chemical characterization of the spineless Opuntia ficus-indica cladodes flour (SFI flour), an important total organic carbon rate (18.92 %) was detected. Thus, SFI flour was used as a potential carbon source for B. thuringiensis cells growth and delta-endotoxin production. A bio-sourced media based on diluted sea water, SFI flour and soybean meal, was optimized for BUPM98 delta-endotoxin production through the response surface methodology. The adjusted medium improved the production by 58 % compared to the reference medium. Moreover, an additional improvement of 22.85 % in delta-endotoxin synthesis was achieved through cultivating BUPM98 in 1 L shake flasks with baffles under optimal conditions. This enabled the biopesticides production in the novel medium (FPOM-SFI) to reach 2405.5 ± 45 mg/L. Interestingly, the FPOM-SFI(BUPM98) achieved a more than threefold activity than VectoBac®12AS. In fact, it revealed LC50 values of 0.0039 mg/L and 0.0041 mg/L, against Aedes aegypti and Anophele gambiae larvae, respectively. These findings underscore the substantial potential of the BUPM98 based bio-pesticide produced in an almost bio-sourced medium for mosquito management in Tunisia as well as in North African countries, as an economical and eco-friendly alternative of chemical insecticides. FPOM-SFI(BUPM98) could be a sustainable and affordable pest control solution.
format Article
id doaj-art-25ee83d6c7d14d99884a4dd7a58cfa2b
institution OA Journals
issn 1049-9644
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Biological Control
spelling doaj-art-25ee83d6c7d14d99884a4dd7a58cfa2b2025-08-20T02:28:19ZengElsevierBiological Control1049-96442025-06-0120510576810.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105768Towards sustainable vector control: Innovative substrate identification for developing eco-friendly, cost-effective, and highly potent biopesticidesFatma Benjeddou0Ines Mnif1Marie Rossignol2Dhouha Ghribi3Slim Tounsi4Fabrice Chandre5Raida Zribi-Zghal6Biopesticides Laboratory, Centre de Biotechnologie de Sfax, Box 1177, 3018 Sfax, TunisiaFaculté Des Sciences de Gabes, Université de Gabes 6072 Gabes, Tunisia; Laboratoire de Biochimie et Génie Enzymatique des Lipases, ENIS, 3038 Sfax, TunisiaMIVEGEC (Maladies infectieuses et vecteurs : écologie, génétique, évolution et contrôle), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier 34394, FranceLaboratory for the Improvement of Plants and Valorization of Agroressources, ENIS, University of Sfax 3038 Sfax, Tunisia; Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Sfax, Route de Soukra km 4, Box 261 3000 Sfax, TunisiaBiopesticides Laboratory, Centre de Biotechnologie de Sfax, Box 1177, 3018 Sfax, TunisiaMIVEGEC (Maladies infectieuses et vecteurs : écologie, génétique, évolution et contrôle), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier 34394, FranceBiopesticides Laboratory, Centre de Biotechnologie de Sfax, Box 1177, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia; Sfax Preparatory Institute for Engineering Studies, University of Sfax, PPPX+M7F, Rue Riadh, Sfax 3072, Tunisia; Corresponding author at: Sfax Prepartory institute for engineering Studies, University of Sfax, PPPX+M7F, Rue Riadh, Sfax 3072, Tunisia.The unavailability of biological insecticides for mosquitoes’ control in Tunisia and their high cost make chemical pesticides the most used solution. In the present study, the development of a bio-sourced media based on agriculture by-product and free biological material was conducted for the generation of commercially valuable biopesticide from BUPM98 Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis strain. Through the physico-chemical characterization of the spineless Opuntia ficus-indica cladodes flour (SFI flour), an important total organic carbon rate (18.92 %) was detected. Thus, SFI flour was used as a potential carbon source for B. thuringiensis cells growth and delta-endotoxin production. A bio-sourced media based on diluted sea water, SFI flour and soybean meal, was optimized for BUPM98 delta-endotoxin production through the response surface methodology. The adjusted medium improved the production by 58 % compared to the reference medium. Moreover, an additional improvement of 22.85 % in delta-endotoxin synthesis was achieved through cultivating BUPM98 in 1 L shake flasks with baffles under optimal conditions. This enabled the biopesticides production in the novel medium (FPOM-SFI) to reach 2405.5 ± 45 mg/L. Interestingly, the FPOM-SFI(BUPM98) achieved a more than threefold activity than VectoBac®12AS. In fact, it revealed LC50 values of 0.0039 mg/L and 0.0041 mg/L, against Aedes aegypti and Anophele gambiae larvae, respectively. These findings underscore the substantial potential of the BUPM98 based bio-pesticide produced in an almost bio-sourced medium for mosquito management in Tunisia as well as in North African countries, as an economical and eco-friendly alternative of chemical insecticides. FPOM-SFI(BUPM98) could be a sustainable and affordable pest control solution.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1049964425000787Bacillus thuringiensis israelensisAedes aegypti (Bora-Bora)Anophele gambiae ss (kis)Bio-sourced insecticideSpinelessOpuntia ficus-indica cladodes flourHighly effective biopesticide
spellingShingle Fatma Benjeddou
Ines Mnif
Marie Rossignol
Dhouha Ghribi
Slim Tounsi
Fabrice Chandre
Raida Zribi-Zghal
Towards sustainable vector control: Innovative substrate identification for developing eco-friendly, cost-effective, and highly potent biopesticides
Biological Control
Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis
Aedes aegypti (Bora-Bora)
Anophele gambiae ss (kis)
Bio-sourced insecticide
SpinelessOpuntia ficus-indica cladodes flour
Highly effective biopesticide
title Towards sustainable vector control: Innovative substrate identification for developing eco-friendly, cost-effective, and highly potent biopesticides
title_full Towards sustainable vector control: Innovative substrate identification for developing eco-friendly, cost-effective, and highly potent biopesticides
title_fullStr Towards sustainable vector control: Innovative substrate identification for developing eco-friendly, cost-effective, and highly potent biopesticides
title_full_unstemmed Towards sustainable vector control: Innovative substrate identification for developing eco-friendly, cost-effective, and highly potent biopesticides
title_short Towards sustainable vector control: Innovative substrate identification for developing eco-friendly, cost-effective, and highly potent biopesticides
title_sort towards sustainable vector control innovative substrate identification for developing eco friendly cost effective and highly potent biopesticides
topic Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis
Aedes aegypti (Bora-Bora)
Anophele gambiae ss (kis)
Bio-sourced insecticide
SpinelessOpuntia ficus-indica cladodes flour
Highly effective biopesticide
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1049964425000787
work_keys_str_mv AT fatmabenjeddou towardssustainablevectorcontrolinnovativesubstrateidentificationfordevelopingecofriendlycosteffectiveandhighlypotentbiopesticides
AT inesmnif towardssustainablevectorcontrolinnovativesubstrateidentificationfordevelopingecofriendlycosteffectiveandhighlypotentbiopesticides
AT marierossignol towardssustainablevectorcontrolinnovativesubstrateidentificationfordevelopingecofriendlycosteffectiveandhighlypotentbiopesticides
AT dhouhaghribi towardssustainablevectorcontrolinnovativesubstrateidentificationfordevelopingecofriendlycosteffectiveandhighlypotentbiopesticides
AT slimtounsi towardssustainablevectorcontrolinnovativesubstrateidentificationfordevelopingecofriendlycosteffectiveandhighlypotentbiopesticides
AT fabricechandre towardssustainablevectorcontrolinnovativesubstrateidentificationfordevelopingecofriendlycosteffectiveandhighlypotentbiopesticides
AT raidazribizghal towardssustainablevectorcontrolinnovativesubstrateidentificationfordevelopingecofriendlycosteffectiveandhighlypotentbiopesticides