The Laboratory of Phytopathology and Biotechnology

Head of the laboratory: doctor habilitatus in biology, professor, Merited Person of the Republic of Moldova, Laureate of the National Prize, Volosciuc Leonid.

Research team: Pânzaru Boris, PhD, Researcher Coordinator, Nicolaev Arcadie, PhD, Senior Researcher, Şcerbacov Tatiana, PhD, Senior Researcher, Samoilov Anna, PhD, Senior Researcher, Stângaci Aurelia, PhD, Senior Researcher, David Tatiana, Researcher, Zavtoni Pantelimon, Researcher, Lungu Andrei, Junior Researcher, Crucean Ștefan, Junior Researcher, Harciuc Oleg, PhD, Senior Researcher (0,5), Curiev Loredana, Junior Researcher (0,5) and 3 tehnicians I (Benderleu Ana, Stașevscaia Larisa, Grinișin Vasile).

 

Laboratory of Phytopatology and Biotechnology as a part of  scientific subdivision of the  Institute of Genetics, Physiology and Plant Protection represents a scientific research structure specialized on the  identification of plant diseases causative agents, development and implementation of microbial products for plant protection.  

Mission of the laboratory in the framework of the academic activities is investigation, innovation, counseling and technology transferring, as well as counseling of the decision-making bodies, empowering companies and government agencies to actively promote sustainable and inclusive development by elaborating and implementing modern biotechnologies for phytosanitary problems solving and organic agriculture promotion.

Strategic priorities:

1. Conducting research, counseling and analysis based on the identification of plant diseases causative agents, elaboration and implementation of microbial plant protection products.
2. Empowering communities and phytotechnical companies to support the development and implementation of services aimed at ensuring food safety, food security and favorable environmental conditions.
3. Strengthening the relationship between science and education, training students in research, supporting young researchers, and implementing national, regional, and international cooperation in research, innovation, and technology transfer.
4. Promoting the development and dissemination of knowledge and the development of a knowledge-based society.

Laboratory of Phytopatology and Biotechnology was fond in 1976 by merging several divisions of the institute (Lab. of Virology, Bacteriology and Protozoan Diseases, Lab. of Entomopathogenic microorganisms, Lab. of Experimental Mycology, Lab. of Microbial Protection, Lab. of Phytopathology, Lab. of Biotechnology), which had been organized at the different stages of the Institute’s development. The laboratory staff work on achieving the following goals:

• isolation, identification and improvement of phytopathogenic and useful microorganisms strains (viruses, bacteria, actynomycetes, fungi) for determination of their impact against agricultural crops and elaboration of the schemes for their utilization in the plant disease control.
• elaboration of the methodological procedures and methods for identification and determination of the biological particulariries of perspective useful microbial agents (viruses, bacteria, actynomycetes, fungi) for producing and application of biological products for agricultural crops protection;
• elaboration of the technological and biotechnological procedures for producing and application microbial products on the basis of viruses, bacteria, actynomycetes, fungi against disease causative agents and pests;
• elaboration, testing and approval of the microbial products against harmful organisms for the main groups of the agricultural crops protection;
• elaboration of the technological procedures and technologies of biological products application for plant protection in conventional and organic agruculture;
• verification in production and implementation of laboratory and world achievements in agriculture and forestry of the Republic of Moldova;
• promotion of scientific, technical achievements and advanced production technologies;
• extension activity, training and professional development of specialists in the field of plant protection in conventional and organic agriculture;
• participation in the development of the legislative framework in the field of plant protection and ecological agriculture as one of the priority area of the Institute's research and is based on the implementation of a number of basic provisions in the Republic of Moldova, the functionality of which is indispensable in connection with the study of many aspects of activity, first of all those included in the technological and research strategy.

Logistic potential

Investigations are carried out in 10 laboratory rooms intended for research in microbiology and production of microbial plant protection products.

Researchers are provided with 3 microscopes MBI-15, 7 microscopes MBI-1, MBI-3, Biolam and Biolar, 6 horizontal autoclaves, 8 water and warm air incubators, 6 fridges, 7 sterilizers with hot air, 2 centrifuges, 6 magnetic stirrers, 2 installations for the cultivation of microbial biomass, which are older than 15-25 years, cameras, photocolorimeters, installations in air conditioning cameras, computers, printers, scanners, photocopiers and cameras.

Financial resources

Investigations are funded according to the institute's cost estimates and do not have separate accounting. As a subdivision of a budgetary institution, laboratory got from the state budget the sums required for scientific activity in the framework of some projects. The laboratory team obtained grants as extra-budgetary sources.

In the framework of the International INTAS contract „Development of production technologies of biological means to protect the environment” in collaboration with the Research Station for Invertebrate Pathology (Saint-Cristol-Lez-Ales, France) and Institute for Biological Plant Protection (Darmstadt, Germany) investigation were funded in the amount of 30 000 ECU, and in the INTAS project  “Microbial preparations for plant protecţion in the sustainable agriculture” the amount of 20 000 ECU has been obtained.   

Within the MRDA/CRDF grant "Baculoviral Preparations for Environment Protection in the Sustainable Agriculture” 40 000 USD have been received. The MRDA/CRDF grants „Scientific Cooperation Program. Isolation and Identification of Entomopathogenic Nematodes for Control of Insects in Moldova” has been funded by 30 000 USD.

Scientific Results    

The laboratory team isolated and identified over 500 strains of microorganisms, selected the perspective ones as the pests and pathogens control agents and elaborated 5 viral, 6 fungal and 2 bacterial preparations, which are applied extensively in conventional and organic agriculture.

• TRIHODERMIN-BL, for control of white, gray and root rot of vegetable, ornamental, leguminous crops, as well as tobacco seedlings; gray rot on strawberries and grape; cucumber ascochytosis, fusariosis and vegetable verticillosis. It is used against gray rot on vines 3-18 days before harvesting grapes, when the application of chemicals is prohibited, and the disease can bring 30-90% losses.
• NEMATOFAGIN-BL-for control root nematodes in vegetable crops, strawberries, garlic, especially in greenhouse soils.
• RIZOPLAN - for root rot of cereals and tobacco control. Tests of Rizopan on different crops showed high efficiency at a price 5-10 times lower than that of chemicals.
• VIRIN-ABB-3 - for the fall webworm caterpillar (Hyphantria cunea) control in orchards, forests and parks. Since the pest attacks more than 200 trees species, the application of the VIRIN-ABB-3 is necessary in urban, recreational areas, on the side of roads, where the use of chemical preparations is not allowed.
• VIRIN-KS-   for to control the cabbage moth (Mamestra brassicae) on cabbage, tomatoes, vegetables. The preparation is based on the cabbage moth nuclear polyhedrosis virus.
• VIRIN-OS - for the control of turnip moth (Agrotis segetum) and moths of the genus Agrotis (Ypsilon, Exclamators) in vegetable, technical crops (tobacco, sugar beet), pumpkins and medicinal herbs.
• VIRIN-HS-2 - for the control of the cotton bollworm and the bollworms of the genus Heliothis. The necessity for widespread use of this preparation is conditioned by the fact that there has been a sudden increase in the attack of cotton bollworm in recent years, especially during the tomato harvest period, when the application of chemical preparations is prohibited.
• PAURIN – Pseudomonas  fluorescens CR-330D, patent  №182544,  registarted in the National Collection of RM № CNMN-Ps B-04, for bacterial cancer in fruit and wine crops control, as a stimulant for growing tomatoes in unheated greenhouses, control of bacterial diseases in potatoes, onions and peppers.

Measures for biological products approving were taken which allowed to cover the need for alternative means of plant protection in both intensive and organic agriculture.

Technological processes for the production and application of microbial products were elaborated and the technological documentation for the state registration (technological production regulations, technical indications and methodological application recommendations) of biological products was submitted: based on fungi - Trichodermin-SC applied at grapes, sunflowers, cereals and vegetables, Gliocladin-SC applied for the sunflowers and vines protection, Coniotirin-SC for sunflowers white rot control, Nematophagin-SC  - for Galician nematodes control; on entomopathogenic viruses base - the baculoviral preparation Virin-HS-P, based on the nuclear polyhedrosis virus,  for the cotton bollworm control; Paurin- bacterial preparation for the control of potato’s pathogens, which allows the control harmful organisms in organic and intensive agriculture systems.

The laboratory staff is currently working on the project „Synergism between natural factors and ecologically harmless microbial products of pests population density regulating for the protection of agricultural crops in conventional and organic agriculture” aimed at solving phytosanitary problems with the help of microbial products and natural and anthropogenic factors regulating the pests population density.

National and International cooperation

The laboratory members give lectures on t „Virology” for the 3rd year students of the Faculty of Biology and Pedology of the Moldova State University, as well as the normative course for the fourth year students from the Faculty of Horticulture of UASM.

In cooperation with colleagues from the Institute for Plant Protection in Tehran (Iran), research on baculoviruses (VPN and VG) in insects from the Noctuidae family identification was carried out. The laboratory staff presented a plenary report at the International Congress on Plant Protection carried out in Tehran.

In the framework of the MRDA/CRDF MBI-3003 grant investigations on elaboration of baculoviruses identification methods. This could be used for baculviruses preparations elaboration.

The laboratory members gave lectures on the courses of „Virology” and "Biotechnologies in Biological Protection" for students at the State University Dimitrie Cantemir and the Faculty of Horticulture of the State Agrarian University of Moldova, evolved as chairman of the state licensing and master's degree commissions from different universities.

The team members had retraining and research activities abroad in the Republic of Moldova:

• Kiev, Kiev University and Institute of Microbiology and Virusology (1987, “Research and elaboration of microbiological preparation for plant protection);
• Moscow, Moscow University “M.V.Lomonosov” and  Institute of Biotehnology  (1988) – Methods for quality control of microbial preparation for plant protection);
• St.-Petersburg, Institute for Plant Protection (VIZR, 1988) – New formulations of microbiological preparation for plant protection);
• Novosibirsk, Institute of Virusology (Koliţovo, 1989) – Elaboration of new methods for application of microbiological preparation for plant protection); 
• Poznan, Institutul for Plant Protection, Poland (1990, 1995 - Microbiological preparation for combating of forest pest insects);
• Saint-Cristol-Lez-Ales, Fellowship INRA invertebrate pathology research (Franţa, 1997, 1999) – New morphological methods for identification of microbiological agents for plant protection;
• Bucureşti, Institutul for Plant Protection (România, 1998-1999) – Epizootological character of microbiological agents for plant protection;
• Tehran, Islamic Republic Iran (Institutul for Plant Protection, 2001) – Use of biological plant protection means’s in the sustainable agriculture;
• UK, DEFRA (Ministry of Agriculture of Great Britain, London, Oxford, Cambridge) -  2002 - Strategy improving the agricultural research and development system in the Republic of Moldova 2002-2010;
• Davis  and Riverside, Universitaty of California, USA (2003) – Molecular-biological methods to research baculoviral preparations for environmental protection in the sustainable agriculture.
• Praha, Universitaty of Agriculture din Czech Republic (a month) – Implementation of the Sustainable Agriculture in the Republic of Moldova (2004).
• Departament of Agriculture (Washington, USA), University of California (Davis and Riverside, USA) - Implementation of the Ecological Agriculture in the Republic of Moldova (2007),
• Sao-Paulo, Brazilian Ministry of the Environment, Conference dedicated to global environmental problems solving (2008).

List of the international projects/grants

• Fundamental Institutional Project "Biotechnology of production and application of biological preparations to control harmful organisms". CSȘDT no. 11.817.04.12F. 2010-2014
• Fundamental Institutional Project “Development of technologies for the production and application of ecologically harmless means of integrated protection of agricultural crops”. CSȘDT no. 15.817.05.06F. 2015-2018.
• A STCU project on the theoretical bases for determining the biological properties of useful microorganisms and the elaboration in their base of biological plant protection preparations. 2012-2013.
• A cross-border project between Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova on ensuring extension activities in the promotion of organic agriculture. 2017-2019.

 

List of participations in national and international exhibitions

• Obtained Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals and Diplomas - 9 at various International Salons.

 

List of relevant publications

1. ЧУХРИЙ, М.Г.; КАТАНА, В.Д.; ВОЛОЩУК, Л.Ф.; МЕНЧЕР, Э.М. Система методов идентификации вирусов ядерного полиэдроза. -Кишинев: «Штиинца», 1991. 45 с.
2. VOLOȘCIUC, L.T.; POSTOLACHE-CĂLUGĂRU, A.;VULPE, S. Biologie. Manual pentru clasa a XII-a. Chişinău: Lumina. 2004. 256 p.
3. ANDRIEŞ, S.; BOINCEAN, B.; JIGĂU, GH. ; BATCU, M. ; GALUPA, D. Cod de Bune Practici Agricole, sub red. dr.hab. L.Voloșciuc. Chişinău: Mediul ambiant. 2007. 108 p.
4. VOINEAC, V.; COVALIOV, B.; VOLOȘCIUC,  L.; TODIRAŞ, V.; GAVRILIŢA, L.; BATCO, M.; MALANCIUC, IU.; GAIBU, Z.; SOIA, N.; RAILEAN, N. Viermele vestic al rădăcinilor de porumb (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte). MAIA. Chişinău. 2008. 22 p.
5. VOINEAC, V.; COVALIOV, B.; VOLOȘCIUC, L.; TODIRAŞ, V.; GAVRILIŢA, L.; BATCO, M.; MALANCIUC, IU.; GAIBU, Z.; SOIA, N.; RAILEAN, N. Западный кукурузный жук (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte). MAIA. Chişinău. 2008. 22 p.
6. VOLOȘCIUC, L. Biotehnologia producerii şi aplicării preparatelor baculovirale în agricultura ecologică. Chişinău: Mediul ambiant, 2009, 262 p. ISBN 978-9975-9774-5-6.
7. VOLOȘCIUC, L.  Probleme ecologice în agricultură. Chişinău: Bons Offices, 2009, 264 p. ISBN 978-9975-80-304-5.
8. VOLOȘCIUC, L. Agricultura ecologică. Suport de curs. Chişinău: UnAȘM, 2012, 200 p. ISBN 978-9975-4372-6-4.
9. Culegerea de articole „BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF PEST USING TRICHOGRAMMA: CURRENT STATUS AND PERSPECTIVES”, edited by S.B. Vinson, S.M. Greenberg, T.-X. Liu, A. Rao, L.F Volosciuk.  Northwest A&F University Press, China, 2016. 496 p. ISBN 978-7-5683-0058-2.
10.  VOLOȘCIUC, L. Combaterea Integrată a Organismelor Dăunătoare (Ghid). Chișinău. Federația agricultorilor din Moldova. 2018. 65 p.
11. VOLOȘCIUC, L. Producerea culturilor cerealiere și leguminoase pentru boabe în sistem ecologic. Chișinău. IGFPP. 2019. 65 p. ISBN 978-9975-3231-3-0.
12. ТОДИРАШ, В.А.; СТРАТУЛАТ, Т.Г.; ГУНЧАК, В.М.; НАСТАС, Т.Н.; ВОЛОЩУК, Л.Ф.; БОТНАРЬ, В.Ф.; ГАВРИЛИЦА, Л.Ф.; ТРЕТЬЯКОВА, Т.Ф.; СОЛОМИЙЧУК, М.П.; ЗЕЛЯ, А.Г.; МОЛЧАНОВА, Е.Д.; ЛОБАН, Л.Л.; КОРДУЛЯН, Ю.В.; ЗЕЛЯ, Г.А. Биотехнологические средства защиты растений. Руководство по выбору, производству и применению для контроля основных вредителей и болезней cельскохозяйственных культур. Chișinău: Capatina-print S.R.L. - Pergament, 2019. 140 c.
13. VOLOȘCIUC, L.; CEPOI, L. Microbiologie și Virusologie. Suport de curs. Chişinău: USDC, 2020, 375 p. ISBN 978-9975-3389-0-5.
14. BOINCEAN, B.; VOLOŞCIUC, L.; RURAC, M.; HURMUZACHI, IU.; BALTAG,  G. Agricultura conservativă. Manual pentru producători agricoli şi formatori. Chișinău. IFAD. 270 p.

Patents

 

1. Gorban V., Voineac V., Voloșciuc L., Bradovschi V., Batco M., Zavtoni P., Nastas T. Dispozitiv pentru sterilizarea și infectarea cu viruși a insectelor dăunătoare. Brevet de invenție de scurtă durată nr. 7893 din 04.09.2014.
2. GORBAN V.; VOINEAC V.; VOLOSCIUC L.; BRADOVSCHII V.; BATCO M.; ZAVTONII P.; NASTAS T.  Dispozitiv pentru sterilizarea şi infectarea cu viruşi a insectelor dăunătoare. MD 831 din 2015.06.30.
3. GORBAN, V.; VOINEAC, V.; VOLOSCIUC, L.; BRADOVSCHII,V.; BATCO, M.; NASTAS, T.; ZAVTONII, P. Devices for signaling, monitoring and combating harmful insects (ciclu de invenții MD 831, 2015.06.30, MD 864, 2015.08.31, MD 937, 2016.03.31).
4. GORBAN, V.; VOINEAC, V.; TODIRAŞ, V.; BRADOVSCHI,I V., ŞLEAHTICI, V.;BATCO, M.; VOLOŞCIUC, L.; NASTAS, T.; ZAVTONII, P. Dispozitive pentru semnalizarea, monitorizarea şi combaterea insectelor dăunătoare. Brevete de scurtă durată: MD 831, 864  nr.8145 din 2015.06.11.
5. ŞUBINA V., VOLOSCIUC L.  Mediu nutritiv pentru cultivarea tulpinii de bacteriene Bacillus subtilis CNMN-BB-09. Brevet de invenţie MD 1106 din 2017-07-31.
6. ŞUBINA, V.; VOLOŞCIUC, L.; BURŢEVA, S. Procedeu de tratare a seminţelor de tomate înainte de semănat: Brevet de invenţie de scurtă durată eliberate. MD 1187 din 2018.04.30.

List of organized international and national scientific events

1. International Scientific Symposium „Protecția plantelor - Realizări și Perspective". Chişinău  October 19-22, 2009.
2. International Scientific Symposium „Protecția plantelor - Probleme și Perspective". Chişinău  October 30-31, 2012.
3. International Scientific Symposium„Protecția plantelor - Realizări și Perspective". Chişinău  Octombrie 27-28, 2015.
4. International Scientific Symposium „Plant Protection in Conventional and Ecological Agriculture". Chişinău, Decembrie 10-12, 2018.
5. International Scientific Symposium „Protecția plantelor - Realizări și Perspective". Chişinău  Octombrie 27-28, 2020.

Contacts:

Tel.: (+ 373 22) 78 20 57             
Fax: (+373 22) 55 61 80
E-mail: [email protected]