The insecticidal microorganism Beauveria bassiana ERL836, jointly developed by the Insect Microbial Biotechnology Laboratory and FarmHannong Co., Ltd., has been commercialized under the product name 'Chongchaessak' and has received consistent praise in agricultural fields as a microbial insecticide that should be applied before transplanting to control thrips.

It not only effectively eliminates thrips pupae but also makes a significant contribution to markedly reducing the use of synthetic pesticides in carbon-neutral agriculture. In addition, it can persist in soil for more than a month, giving it a strong advantage over similar products.

The team led by Professor Jae-Soo Kim at Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) reported to the academic community that this market-proven ERL836 microorganism possesses differentiated functions that are markedly distinct from other Beauveria bassiana insecticidal strains. This further confirms the product's superiority for pest control. The study was published in the latest issue of the SCI-indexed international journal BMC Genomics.

Through transcriptome analysis, Professor Kim's team confirmed that the ERL836 strain in Chongchaessak attacks thrips more effectively than similar strains. During the attack on thrips, the ERL836 strain expressed two to three times more genes than comparable strains.

In particular, numerous transporter genes involved in the production and transport of substances highly correlated with insecticidal effects were highly expressed. Interestingly, the study revealed strong activation of genetic pathways related to fatty acid degradation of the insect cuticle (epidermis), and identified five cytochrome P450 genes as playing key roles in this process.

Professor Kim's team also reported in the recent issue of Scientific Reports that speciation among these Beauveria bassiana microorganisms is diverse and that biological characteristics vary among strains within the same species.

Professor Jae-Soo Kim said, "Research on the ERL836 microbial strain is now expanding beyond thrips to include control and elucidation of the insecticidal mechanism against the pine sawyer longhorn beetle that transmits the pine wood nematode. Through this research, we will continue to investigate the differentiated mode of action of the ERL836 strain in Chongchaessak and pursue applicable pest-control studies and investigations into species-specific lethal mechanisms."

He added, "Although various microorganisms are recently being developed for pest and disease control, research has largely focused on simple microbial cultivation, formulation studies, and efficacy tests. Research into lethal mechanisms, which would distinguish microbial products, remains insufficient. Studying how these microorganisms control pests and diseases increases product value and enhances farmers' confidence in microbial formulations."