Prove that the concept of forest extractables can be used as biopesticides in Quebec

For four years, FPlnnovations has supported a program aimed at evaluating of the potential of natural extracts from residues and forest biomass. More than twenty commercial tree species were analyzed and the results showed great potential in terms of antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal properties, which could be interesting for sectors such as cosmetic, food, pharmaceutical and agriculture. Concurrently, an innovative method for the evaluation of active substances which can be used against scabs has been developed over the past 10 years at the Integrated Fruit Production Laboratory at the IRDA.

The fight against apple scabs is essentially based on the use of fungicides to suppress infections that occur each year due ta rainy periods between April and June. Products available for the fight against this disease have changed significantly over the last sixty years. The molecules registered before 1959 are mostly being re-evaluated and their use is highly restricted, even banned. The active ingredients registered since 1959 have the advantage of being Jess taxie, but they are less effective than aider products and can lead to the development of resistant populations of the fungus. Although many pesticides are registered against the main apple diseases (apple scabs and tire blight), the most used products (Captan and Streptomycin respectively) are regularly subjected to restrictions on their use, or even their withdrawal. In this context, the search for products that are effective against the disease and present a low toxicity to the environment remains valid.

During this project, FPinnovations will be responsible for the qualification and preparation of the raw material from five Quebec commercial tree species, as well as for the hydro-alcoholic extraction and the evaluation of the antioxidant capacity of extracts according to the different bioclimatic factors selected (seasons and locations). The extracts will be tested for their effect on the growth inhibition of the fungus Venturia inaequalis, which causes apple scabs. For each sample, the dose-response relationship will be established for ascospore germination and spawn elongation. The !RDA will be responsible for testing the in vitro efficiency against extracts of the fungus ascospores of scabs (Venturia inaequalis) and against the bacterium responsible for tire blight (Erwinia amylovora).