AGROCAPSI

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Human Practices



  • Human centered approach
  • Designing our Human Practices
  • 1) Empathizing 2) Defining the solution 3) Designing Integrated Human Practices 4) Evaluation and implementation Reference

    Overview

    On this page we share the insights that interactions with chilli producers, experts, government entities, and agrochemicals suppliers have provided us during the development of our project. Every conversation we had with each one of our stakeholders has helped shape the final idea of our project.

    iRNAldo with a flower welcoming you to the Human Practices page

    THE PROBLEM AND OUR HUMAN CENTERED APPROACH

    Plants provide approximately 80% of the human diet, making it essential for all people to have access to safe, sufficient, and nutritious food (FAO, 2017). As time progresses, the pests that affect crops become more frequent, resistant and their population increases more and more, putting food production worldwide at risk (Strange & Scott, 2005). An example of these diseases is wilt, caused by Phytophthora capsici, which provokes severe economic losses in crops, mainly chilli crops.

    Chilli is an emblematic symbol of Mexico due to its presence in most of the dishes that are recognized as a cultural heritage of humanity. It also has a high impact on the country's economy, since agriculture is one of the main sources of income in Mexico, accounting for more than $5.4 million Mexican pesos (IICA, 2021). Yet, this is at risk due to the oomycete P. capsici, one of the most devastating plant pathogen (Wang & Ji, 2021).

    This is why a strategy that provides a comprehensive solution to the problem of wilting, in order to reduce the losses suffered in chilli production and contribute to food security is certainly needed. Our team's vision is to make Agrocapsi that urgent solution. When creating Agrocapsi, it was important to take into consideration all the parties involved and the knowledge of the experts to generate a comprehensive solution that does not compromise third parties and is beneficial for the world.

    DESIGNING OUR HUMAN PRACTICES

    We used the Design Thinking methodology that consists of 4 general steps, which helped us work hand to hand with the entrepreneurship team. We made sure we comprehended the problem and the needs the farmers have. The feedback we received from the interviews was used to competently integrate our project and assure that our solution generates an impact. This helped us assure that the final version of Agrocapsi reflected the values ​​of the stakeholders and the environmental, economic, and social aspects that our project solves. Click on each step to go to that section.


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    Before initiating the Design Thinking process, it was crucial to define our stakeholders. To answer this question, we focused on the chilli value chain, which begins with small, medium, and large producers, to exporters, industries, and agro-input suppliers. As well as related government institutions such as the State Health Committee and the Ministry of Rural Development, and experts in the area such as agronomists and phytopathologists. The diagram portrays our stakeholders and their significance for our project.

    Click on each of the stakeholders to learn more about why they are so important for our project!

    Producers icon.
    producers
    PRODUCERS

    Agrocapsi seeks to provide a solution to one of the biggest problems of farmers: plant diseases. This is why we reached small, medium and big chilli growers. We want to find out what are the main challenges they are facing. In addition, we wanted to validate from firsthand that wilting is a devastating issue for them.

    We were interested in knowing how they currently fight against pests, especially against P. capsici. Their current solutions involved agrochemicals that are harmful for the environment and health. They are afraid of the damage generated by these agrochemicals, and say they need more effective solutions that do not harm people's health or kill the soil microbiota. They are worried that the use of this product will compromise the country's food security, and that someday their land will no longer produce.

    We told them about our biofungicide and they showed plenty of interest. Thus, they guided us through deciding on the type of presentation that was convenient for them, as well as on determining the appropriate for the application of the product.

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    EXPORTERS

    Seeing that Mexico is the leading exporter of chilli, we talked to exporters to find out what impact wilt has on them. We also wanted to know their opinion about current agrochemicals and their needs for measures against wilt and other plant diseases.

    In addition, we spoke with different industry-related actors to learn about the impact that chilli crop diseases have on their business.

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    Governement institutions icon.
    Governement institutions icon.
    GOVERNMENT ENTITIES

    It was very important for us to keep up with all the regulations necessary to develop our product. We established contact with various institutions and they told us the requirements needed. This way our product won't interfere or violate any law or compromise our consumers.

    Suppliers icon.
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    SUPPLIERS

    We got in touch with suppliers of agronomic products to check how ours was different from others. They complained about the inefficient chemical control and the harms that arise from it. These products put at risk the health of thousands of workers. Our product could offer a solution against this problem because no chemicals are going to be added. This way neither the environment nor the farmers would be at risks of this matter.

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    Experts icon.
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    EXPERTS

    We reached out to agronomists to get guidance on how they thought the product would work better. If they liked the product to be added since the seed stage, preventive or using it when symptoms started to show up.

    We also contacted experts in phytopathology, agriculture and formulations. They helped us understand how P. capsici attacks plants and why it is so aggressive. In addition, they gave us advice on what to consider when conducting our laboratory tests and helped us identify the main challenges we will face when developing the product as a real product to be applied on crops.

    We spoke to scientific experts to determine the product formulation for it to fulfill its purpose.

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    Following ethical principles, we designed a privacy notice which allowed us to use the information collected during every approach or interview. This was with the intention of protecting the information provided to us by each of our stakeholders. We notified them of their right to access this information, for rectifications and/or cancellation of the information or certain parts of it.

    1) Empathizing and understanding the problem

    Emphatize ilustration.

    In this stage it was essential to understand the problem. For this, we held field visits and interviews with small, medium, and large producers, the group that is most affected by wilt. Likewise, we interviewed industries related to the processing of chilli to see the significance and impact of its production, as well as the requirements that the fruits must meet to be processed.

    For the received information not to be biased in any way, the interviews were about the main problems in chilli production, allowing farmers, agronomy engineers, technicians and supply industries to express their needs. Each person we talked to gave us valuable information, same information that ended up rectifying that wilt is a problem in chilli production extremely difficult to control.

    INTERVIEWS

    Producers

    Producers ilustration.
    Picture with Efrain Hernandez.

    Efraín Hernández

    Delicias, Chihuahua

    Producer

    He is a producer from the city of Delicias in the state of Chihuahua. One of his main crops includes chilli. He told us that he studied agronomy and has 30 years in the agricultural sector. One of his concerns about the cultivation of chilli are fungal and oomycete diseases, among them wilting or dryness caused by Phytophthora and Pythium oomycetes. He told us his concern about this disease is that it continues to occur year after year since the affecting pathogens are very resistant. He has tried to rotate crops and use a variety of products to cut these illnesses, but they have not worked. He mentioned that the ideal solution for this problem should be able to be applied when the plant is still a seed or create genetically modified seeds that show resistance for these pathogens.

    Picutre with Pablo Solis.

    Pablo Solís

    Delicias, Chihuahua

    Producer

    Mr. Pablo Solís is a producer from the city of Delicias in the state of Chihuahua. He has grown chilli since childhood thanks to his grandfather. Some of the crops he manages are: wheat, sorghum, soybeans, corn, peanuts, cotton and chilli. He commented that he has had pests in his crops that are very resistant, such as weevils, powdery mildew, and dryness. He thinks some of these problems can be attributed to genetically modified seeds, but he has no knowledge on the subject. He has fumigated against these diseases and has sometimes used home remedies recommended by other producers. He mentioned that many of the insecticides that he has used are forced to change through the years since they leave a lot of residue on the ground. He believes that liquid products are easier to handle because they do not clog the irrigation systems.

    Picutre with Rafael Ortega.

    Rafael Ortega

    Aldama, Chihuahua

    Producer

    Mr. Rafael Ortega is a producer from the city of Aldama in the state of Chihuahua with over 40 years of experience. The main crops he manages are chilli and walnut trees. He considers that the problem he faces the most is labor shortages and pests. When the rainy season begins, he invests in many agricultural supplies for pest prevention. For his crops, he starts a preventive program since the plants are seeds and thus prepares them with strong ‘defenses’ in the field. He believes that the key to success is having good pest prevention, since many of these kill the crop in a few days, leaving a great loss.

    Picture with Leonel Gutierrez.

    Leonel Gutiérrez

    Aldama, Chihuahua

    Producer

    Mr. Leonel Gutierrez is a producer of various crops in the city of Aldama. He has experience in this area since the 90's with crops such as peppers, walnuts, alfalfa, and watermelon. Things that he is concerned about are that the seedling stays held to the ground and all the plant diseases, the ones he has had are dryness, damping-off and wilting. The technology in the irrigation systems has diminished these diseases because it avoids excessive humidity for them to act. There are soluble agricultural supplies compatible with the strip irrigation system that avoid cloggings and facilitate the application of the products.

    Picture with Jose Luis Garcia.

    José Luis García

    Meoqui, Chihuahua

    Producer

    He is a producer from the city of Meoqui and has been for more than 20 years. The crops he has worked with are jalapeño and serrano peppers. He supplies to La Morena pepper packaging company, specifically to the production plants located in the states of Puebla and Tlaxcala. He told us that his biggest problems are the lack of labor, pests that are more resistant, and emerging diseases mostly caused by fungi. He told us that he has had powdery mildew and wilt in his crops. Among the methods that he uses to treat wilting is the administration of 10 liters per hectare of hydrogen peroxide. However, this is a very aggressive solution and affects the soil by eliminating beneficial microorganisms.

    For him, it is very important to use products that are accepted by the buying company and do not leave residues on the fruit so that the crop is not rejected. The company performs soil, product, water and logbook analysis where all the products that were used must be approved to guarantee the quality of the chilli. He also mentioned the importance of rotating the crops, to try to reduce the incidence of illnesses and the importance of a good irrigation system. He uses a band system so he opted to work with acid diluents and soluble powders to prevent the band orifices from clogging.

    Picture wiith Alejandro Olivas.

    Alejandro Olivas

    Camargo, Chihuahua

    Producer

    Alejandro Olivas, from the city of Camargo in the state of Chihuahua, has 19 years of experience with chilli crops. During those years he has arranged a microbiology laboratory to produce his own agricultural supplies and improve them. His lab is currently involved in a certification process. The aim of this laboratory is to create products that are effective, since he has presented weevils in his crops before and believes that there is no insecticide or biological control that can effectively eliminate the pest. He also believes that using poisons to prevent fungi, resistance of the pathogen is provoked which makes any fungicide ineffective no matter how much they rotate them. Among the products on the market, he has observed that the ones that are used the most are the chemical ones or the homemade ones recommended among farmers. He has seen that the ones that show the best results are those of biological control.

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    Lorenzo Pérez

    Camargo, Chihuahua

    Producer

    Mr. Lorenzo Pérez was able to share a bit of his time with us to tell us about his long career. Of all his produce, the vast majority is sold to the La Costeña company, while the smaller remains is sold to local businesses that do not ask for product specifications. He told us that he has presented wilt in his crops and that the products he uses to combat this illness have to be approved by La Costeña. This company performs soil tests before planting and analyzes the product when it is ready to be harvested to ensure the safety and quality of the chilli. Much of this pest and disease control work is done by his trusted technician based on the company's requirements. He was interested in attending informative talks to take better care of his crops, which therefore leads them to harvest better quality products.

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    Everton Francisco da Silva

    Brazil

    Producer

    He mentioned that one of the main problems in the production of his crops is Fusarium wilt caused by fungi in the soil that stunts the plants and even kills the stem. Diseases caused by insects and mites are also common. Wilt is an issue that worries him because it causes an almost entire loss of production available area, importantly affecting his economy. He told us that it had caused losses of approximately 25% of his production. Once the soil is infected, he no longer sows.

    Agronomy Engineers and Technicians

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    Israel García

    Delicias, Chihuahua

    Producer

    Mr. Israel García has extensive experience in the distribution of water for the different crop modules. There are both irrigation districts and irrigation units, the difference being that the irrigation units are not dam irrigation units. Meaning that their water sources are commonly rain or well-based, anything but a dam. On the other hand, the irrigation districts are described by a known volume.

    The irrigation districts are the following: Ojinaga (Bajo Río Conchos), Jimenez (Río florido), Juarez, Buenaventura, El Carmen 089, Papigochic, Bajo Río Conchos, Camargo (Alto Río conchos) 113, and Delicias 005. In Delicias is the irrigation district 005 (the most important since it has 70,000 hectares of various crops) covering the irrigation modules 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 12, including the municipalities of Camargo, La cruz, Saucillo, Delicias, Julimes, Meoqui and Rosales. Chilli cultivation occupies approximately 6% (5.7) with 4,000 hectares:

    Agronomy Engineer icon.

    Jorge García

    Delicias, Chihuahua

    Producer

    We had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Jorge García, an agricultural technician. He told us about the necessary conditions for P. capsici to attack the plants; it must have a temperature ranging from 15 to 33°C, high humidity and absence of oxygen. The pathogen is in the form of oospores. When these conditions are present it begins to develop, attacking the plant and causing injuries. It reproduces sexually and asexually. The sexual route is through the mycelia (the union of two mycelia), while the asexual route is via its oospores. It produces a flagellum and moves through water and wind. It attacks the base of the neck of the plants and climbs on to the fruits.

    Aditionally, it is able to attack through the stomata of plants when there is sufficient moisture. The sporangium is produced and the cycle begins again, it is very similar to Fusarium, which is a fungus that turns the base leaves yellow and they fall off. It is commonly known as the ‘sadness’ of the plant, but it does not affect the fruits. On the other hand, Phytophthora mummifies both the fruit and the leaf and they don't fall off. This is how the difference between Fusarium or Phytophthora is identified in the field.

    When refering to a damping off problematic, it attacks the base of the plant neck, caused by an association of soil fungi such as Phytophthora, Pythium, Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium. In this case, metalaxyl + carbendazim is usually applied for both Oomycetes and Basidiomycetes to counter this symptoms.

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    Ricardo Ruíz

    Celaya, Guanajuato

    Technical advisor of TNI company

    Mr. Ricardo Ruiz Andujo is a technical advisor in charge of sales at the state level of the company TNI (Tecnologías Naturales Internacional). He explained important details on wilt in chilli, as well as other diseases and pests with their respective optimal proliferation conditions. He said how easy it is to confuse these diseases since the symptoms they present are very similar, and not being able to distinguish makes it difficult to find an accurate solution.

    He told us about the problems that the company faces regarding market acceptance of products of biological origin and the idiosyncrasy of agricultural producers. This is thanks to the little education that is provided to farmers, what they know is what they have been taught over the years without knowing the possible consequences of poor pest management.

    Picture with Octavio Flores and Joaquin Nava.

    Eng. Octavio Flores and Eng. Joaquin Nava

    Delicias, Chihuahua

    State Plant Health Commission

    We were able to meet with Engineer Octavio Flores and Engineer Joaquin Nava in the city of Delicias. We asked them the difference between small, medium and large producers and they told us that small producers are disappearing due to the lack of support from the government and the high costs of agricultural supplies. When talking about irrigation systems, the most common is the band system due to its effectiveness in preventing waterlogging. Even with good measures, they have presented dryness in their crops. They both are technicians for producers who sell their products to La Costeña, so they have logbooks with the products that they can administer to the plants. To ensure a good quality of the products, the company performs tests to see if they comply with its guidelines.

    Agrochemicals' suppliers

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    Collec Tara

    Chihuahua, Chihuahua

    Business

    Karen, co-founder of the biological control company Collect Tara, gave us a bit of her time for a talk. Collect Tara is one of the three largest trading companies for biological control organisms and plant breeders in the state. They told us about production costs, intellectual property and inhibition tests, product screening to avoid clogging irrigation systems and many other aspects to consider in the development of agro-biotechnological products. In addition, certain characteristics of the appearance of Phytophthora capsici were mentioned to us. It usually appears in the rainy seasons, especially when there are puddles on the ground due to high levels of humidity. This oomycete is usually accompanied by other phytopathogenic fungi (frequently Fusarium).

    Picture with GreenHow.

    GreenHow

    Chihuahua, Chihuahua

    Fertilizer and technical irrigation system company

    In the city of San Francisco de Conchos, in an agricultural event, we interviewed the fertilizer and technical irrigation system company GreenHow, one of the largest companies of this class at an international scale. During the interview, topics of great relevance to the project were discussed. First, it was mentioned how the irrigation system plays a fundamental role in saving water and in a better distribution of nutrients or products. Choosing the right irrigation system prevents excess moisture from happening and therefore the appearance of diseases. Finally, it was mentioned the importance of the product being soluble in water to prevent the band from clogging.


    2) Defining the solution

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    The information we gathered during the field visits provided us with significant information that we had not taken into account about the problem on our own, as well as the beliefs and position of the users about genetically modified organisms.

    We took their opinions into consideration to generate a list of aspects to be taken into account for Agrocapsi to be a functional and responsible solution.


    According to our stakeholders, a good solution should: 1.- Protect the health of its users 2.- Be safe for the environment 3.- Be easy to apply and be completely soluble in water 4.- Have a cost benefit ratio 5.- Follow government regulations and exportation laws.

    Figure 1. Elements a good solution must have according to our stakeholders


    3) Designing

    Ideate and prototype ilustration.

    We undertook the task of evaluating the feasibility of these points through bibliographic research and interviews with experts in the area such as plant pathology engineers, agronomists with expertise in the pathosystems, specialists in delivery systems, and institutions.

    Experts

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    Ph.D. Flavio Ramos

    Chihuahua, Chihuahua

    Geneticist

    Ph.D. Flavio is a geneticist who has been working with chillies and tomatillos for 15 years. He specializes in the creation of hybrids mainly for the Mexican market and the southern part of the United States. He focuses on obtaining better efficiency, tolerance or resistance to diseases. He also seeks to solve soil disease problems such as Phytophthora capsici, Fusarium, and Rhizoctonia. He currently does not have a hybrid that has complete resistance to these pathogens. He believes that via the use of molecular markers it will be easier to find this desired resistance. Based on his experience, he believes that in about five or six years it will be possible to have something that is resistant to Phytophthora. He does not work with GMOs or transgenics due to their reputation of misuse and also because of their high restriction in the country.

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    Ph.D. Juan Tovar-Pedraza

    Culiacán, Sinaloa

    Ph.D. in Plant Pathology

    Ph.D. Pedraza is a fungi specialist who was able to share some of his time with us on a phone call. He has extensive experience in fungi and was a professor at the Autonomous University of Chapingo. The first thing he told us is that Phytophthora capsici is an oomycete, not a fungus. This separation of concepts was made 20 years ago mainly due to the difference in the cell wall between these two kingdoms. Of all the varieties of Phytophthora that exist, P. capsici is the easiest to isolate since there are selective media available, as long as you have experience in plant pathology. He did recognize P. capsici as a very recurrent and severe disease in many crops, especially chilli. He told us that the best option to combat any disease is through integrated management, using chemical inputs and biological control. Also taking into account that it is better to apply it a preventive approach since curative ones are usually more expensive.

    When deeply explaining our project to him, he said that he sees it as a very complex solution. This due to the fact that P. capsici is a very fast-acting pathogen. Also, he says that when there is a very large inoculum of the pathogen, it is very difficult, almost impossible, to eliminate it.

    Picture with Gabriel Rincón Enríquez

    Ph.D. Gabriel Rincón Enríquez

    Guadalajara, Jalisco

    Phytopathologist specialized in Biological Control of plant diseases.

    Ph.D. Gabriel Rincón Enríquez is a phytopathologist specialized in Biological Control of plant diseases. He mentioned that P. capsici is one of the most devastating oomycetes worldwide because it wilts multiple crops such as solanaceous, potatoes, tomatoes, and chilli.

    His work focuses on evaluations with mycorrhizal fungi, which have almost zero control, because it is required that in the transplant, the plant must be already inoculated. In just 3-4 weeks the mycorrhizae colonize the root. He mentioned that biological control does not act immediately and its response time is long.

    He said that AMPs are a technology that is becoming very significant, but they are many different scenarios that we must consider, such as the peptide protection once it has been released into the environment and how it will reach the oomycete. Lastly, he expressed that interference RNA could decrease virulence, and it is viable, but the main challenge is how to make it reach the complex environment of the soil.

    Picture with Estefanía Ramírez Delgado

    Ph.D. Estefanía Ramírez Delgado

    Guadalajara, Jalisco

    Phytopathologist specialized in Phytophthora Capsici in Chilli .

    Phytopathologist Estefanía told us that initially, she began her research with biological control of Trichoderma harzianum and endemic combinations. Nonetheless, it had certain disadvantages mainly that it is only effective in one harvest, high doses are required, and the crop does not recover completely. When compared to more effective but short-term solution agrochemicals, after only 5 harvests, these agrochemicals stop working and the P. capsici strain becomes stronger.

    The phytopathologist helped us to understand the pathosystem of P. capsici. Which uses effector proteins to infect the plant, so that all the energetic effort of the plant goes into producing proteins to attack the oomycete even before it comes in contact with it, yet, these proteins are easily recognizable by the oomycete.

    Through this chemical response, the oomycete analyses if the plant is susceptible or not and it determinates if it will advance into an active infection. Once the plant is energetically depleted, P. capsici produces a molecule that the plant does not detect and later infects it.

    According to her opinion of our project, she emphasized that the RXLR genes are not exclusive to P. capsici. This is because they are generic, so by silencing them you would not know if the plant would be resistant. She concluded that the combination of AMPs and iRNA is satisfactory.

    She added that Mexico is the point of origin of chilli, there is a vast genomic variety in chilli. So, she recommended doing several tests on different strains of P. capsici, and testing it in an in vitro chilli plant.

    Picture of Juan Francisco Aguirre Cadena

    Ph.D. Juan Francisco Aguirre Cadena

    Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas

    Agronomist PhD in plant physiology.

    The doctor shared his experience working with the oomycete. He told us that P. capsici is a microorganism that has a root action mechanism that affects a large number of crops. P. capsici is a mycorrhiza, meaning that it colonizes 85% of the plants by way of the soil. He mentioned that with acquired experience, it is not difficult to isolate. He did not show a negative stance towards agrochemicals, yet, he believes it would be better to develop more environmentally responsible products.

    Picutre with Felipe Garces

    Eng. Felipe Garces

    Manabí, Ecuador

    Agronomist Engineer.

    To validate the seriousness of the problem at an international level, we contacted a specialist from Ecuador. He is co-author of the article "Phytophthora capsici on Capsicum Plants: A Destructive Pathogen in chilli and Pepper Crops". The engineer provided the biological samples of the oomycete used in the article. He also participated in the development of one of the most complete biological cycles of the pathogen. From him, we learned from the symptomatology to the most currently used control methods, as well as their advantages and disadvantages. He encouraged us to continue researching nanoencapsulation methodologies for optimal application of biopesticides. For instance, he is developing a method with a slow-release of Trichoderma harzianum spores.

    Government entities

    Government entities ilustration.


    Ministry of Rural Development

    Chihuahua, Chihuahua

    The Ministry of Rural Development (Secretaría de Desarrollo Rural) is an institution that promotes the productive and sustainable development of the agricultural sector through innovation and technology. Its objective is to ensure the production and supply of healthy and safe food for the well-being of the population.

    In order to know the point of view of the different departments of the institution, we decided to contact the engineer Julian Martinez looking for a meeting. We had the honor of talking with various authorities:

    • Mauricio Hernandez, in charge of the agribusiness department.

    • Ricardo Mendoza, supervisor of the institution.

    • Mauricio Baca, in charge of capitalization.

    • Luis Delgado, president of the secretary.

    • Luis Carlos Ramirez, administrative supervisor.

    • Gabriela Portillo, from the agriculture department.

    • Isabel Castillo, in charge of the nursery area.

    • Julián Martínez, in charge of plant health department.

    See the full attendance list.

    Photo of the meeting at the Ministry of Rural Development.

    They provided us with the necessary regulations to develop our project, such as the plant health law that aims to promote and monitor food safety and quality, as well as the prevention and diagnosis of pests and diseases. They also gave us a compendium of NOMs related to pesticides and the handling of genetically modified organisms. We included the information provided in our legal plan.

    In addition to legal information and ethical and technical considerations, we were able to confirm the importance of chilli in our state and for farmers. They mentioned that wilting affects chilli crops mainly in the rainy season and can generate large losses. This has a negative impact in the economy of the agriculture laborers and in the general economy of Chihuahua. They remarked that another problem is the loss of land capacity and the importance of raising awareness about the use of agrochemicals and their residues. Also, we have to promote a culture of prevention and good agricultural practices.

    Click on the button to check out our legal plan!


    If the pdf is not displayed you can download it.

    Other institutions

    CRODE

    Chihuahua, Chihuahua

    CRODE, the Regional Equipment Optimization and Development Center (Centro Regional de Optimización y Desarrollo de Equipo) is an organization highly known nationally. It gives advice for patents, to implement new technologies, and the maintenance of equipment. Its aim is to reinforce the correlation of the industry and educational institutions. The main objective was to understand the process of protecting the intellectual property of a synthetic biology project.

    Adrian Quezada and Oswaldo Olivo advised us on how patents are redacted. We also learned the importance of intellectual property. We were provided with a patent template, and financial aid to patent our biofungicide.


    UCACSA

    Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua

    The engineer Efraín Lechuga is part of the Union of Farmers Credit in Cuauhtémoc (UCACSA). This organization gives crop credits and insurance to farmers. This insurances take place in cases of crop affection due to weather disasters, diseases or plagues.

    Chilli is one of the crops protected by these insurance programs. He mentioned that the main affections of chilli are caused by oomycetes or fungi like P. capsici and F. oxysporum. He told us that this year the disease cases increased due to the coarse rain in Chihuahua. He also emphasized that bad farming practices enlarge the incidence of this diseases.

    He said this last years the prevention culture has been rising. This is both in the application of preventive products and in seeking to ensure crops. Yet, only producers located on the border and exporting to the United States are the ones adopting this culture.

    Efraín also told us about the influence that exporters have in prevention culture. They have power because the requirements for exporting are higher than those to commercialize within the country.


    Zoom meetign with UCACSA.

    At this stage, we managed to redefine our project, generating a solution that was not merely scientific but one that was truly useful for society. Some changes were made considering the feedback we received from each of the stakeholders, the knowledge of the experts, and the bibliography consulted. This feedback shaped our project, and it is displayed below in our Integrated Human Practices. Click on the tittle of each icon to find out more!

    Integrated Human Practices

    chilli crops with wilt
    Wilt/ Drying off

    During the interviews, we experienced an unlearning process, although the technical name of the disease is wilt, farmers know it as drying off or damping off. However, we discovered that it is called damping off when Phytophthora capsici attacks seedlings, i.e., plants in their young stage. On the other hand, it is known as wilt when it occurs on mature plants (Reyes-Tena et al., 2019). Knowing this helped us have a better communication with producers and to be able to interpret the information more easily.

    Woman crouching with chilli plant
    Preventive

    In interviews with agronomists and pathology experts, we discovered that due to the aggressiveness of the oomycete and its ability to survive for a long time in the field, it was best to use a preventive product.

    Ph.D. Pedraza mentioned that P. capsici is a very fast-acting pathogen. In addition, when there is a very large inoculum of the pathogen, it is difficult to eliminate it. Ph.D. Estefania Ramirez told us about the strategies used by the oomycete to attack the plant and what we should consider when designing our product. Upon further investigation, we found a study comparing different chemical and biological control agents for P. capsici. They were applied in two ways: curative and preventive. Despite addressing the curative treatment, disease incidence continued to increase while the preventive treatment showed a decrease in incidences of up to 94.4-100% (Fernandez- Herrera et al., 2007).

    Chilli crop plantation
    Why peptides and not genetically modified organisms?

    One of our main goals in developing a biofungicide is to meet the needs of farmers, especially farmers in our country. So, in addition to reviewing the regulations involving GMOs and the development of agro-inputs in our country, we conducted interviews to learn about the needs of farmers in our region, and above all to find out whether or not our product met their needs.

    In Mexico, all GMOs intended for food processing for human consumption, human use, public health, or bioremediation, must have authorization for commercialization and importation for its commercialization, issued by the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS) of the Ministry of Health (SS). Likewise, the GMO must comply with all the terms evaluated in the Law on Biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms and its regulations.

    To learn more about the regulations, we contacted the Secretaría de Desarrollo Rural that seeks to promote the productive and sustainable development of the agricultural sector through innovation and technology. All the information regarding the handling and manipulation of GMOs was included in the legal plan.

    Regarding the cultural acceptance of GMOs, we realized that there is a great deal of taboo about their use and that there is little acceptance by society in general. Engineer Ricardo Ruiz told us about the problems faced by the company concerning market acceptance of products of biological origin and, in any case, GMOs. This is due to the lack of education provided to farmers; what they know is what they have been taught over the years without knowing the possible consequences of poor pest management. On the other hand, we asked about their posture on GMOs. Some producers, like Pablo Solís and José Luis García. related them to the appearance of more pests.

    Due to the whole legal and cultural situation regarding GMOs, the team decided to produce antimicrobial peptides and iRNA instead of genetically modifying the plant and in return, we generated educational strategies to eliminate misconceptions about synthetic biology.

    Agrocapsi product presentation
    Presentation and delivery system

    Several producers and suppliers mentioned the importance of product presentation. The companies CollecTara and GreenHow told us that if the product is in powder form, it must be very well sieved and completely soluble in water to prevent it from clogging the irrigation system and causing leaks that could lead to waterlogging problems. On the other hand, some growers like Pablo Solis mentioned that it was more convenient in the form of a liquid product.

    Chilli with wilt
    Microorganism complex

    During interviews with experts, we realized something that revolutionized and broadened our perspective: Growers do not buy a product against a microorganism but against a disease. In reality, the oomycete Phytophthora capsici is not the only microorganism related to wilt. There is a whole complex of microorganisms that are present in the soil and can generate this disease. Although the symptomatology may vary according to the fungus or oomycete present, it is very common to find several of them together in the same field. Among these microorganisms are the fungi Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani, and the oomycete Pythium spp.

    Having this information motivated us to look for the possibility of making our product able to attack the whole complex. We conducted a literature search and found that the DrsB1 and PcOSM peptides also showed favorable results on Fusarium oxysporum. Due to the mechanism of action, we can infer that dermaseptin 1 would also affect the other microorganisms.

    On the other hand, we are searching for genes involved in pathogenicity to try to silence them and thus make the product more effective. However, due to time and logistics issues, these changes will continue to be worked on and evaluated with experts to achieve the best version of our product. Check our Project Design page to see more.

    Click the titles to read about our Integrated Human Practices

    Wilt/ Drying off

    Aqua triangle
    Chilli crops with wilt
    Woman crouching with chilli plant
    Brown triangle

    Preventive

    Why peptides and not genetically modified organisms?

    Aqua triangle
    Irnaldo waving
    Chilli crops plantation
    Agrocapsi product presentation
    Brown triangle

    Presentation and delivery system

    Microorganism complex

    Aqua triangle
    Chilli with wilt

    The initial idea of Agrocapsi was to generate a curative biofungicide that could eliminate the oomycete Phytophthora capsici. We had the option of producing the antimicrobial peptides and siRNAs or genetically modifying the plant, but we could not decide. For the molecules we wanted the formulation to be in powder, like most of the agrochemicals on the market.

    However, the idea took shape and was redefined based on feedback from our stakeholders. Their feedback allowed us to create a solution that has the impact on society that we intended to generate. The technical aspect of our project was not the only thing that was covered. We also attend the needs to get this project out of the lab. Based on the legal and cultural environment in Mexico, we were able to determine a solution based on synthetic biology. Thus, the production of antimicrobial peptides and RNAi technology was the best way to generate a product socially acceptable and capable of addressing the problem.

    Moreover, we not only learned how to approach the problem but also how to apply the solution. Along with our stakeholders, we realized that a preventive and liquid biofungicide, rather than a healing powder, would facilitate the way to tackle this vicious pathogen. By having a liquid formulation, it could be spread easily through the irrigation system. We discovered that, in addition to Phytophthora capsici, other microorganisms like Pythium, Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium also caused wilt. We began research on their life cycle and the peptides action, see our Design page to examine it. Thus, Agrocapsi will be a safe, sustainable, viable, and complete solution to prevent chili wilt. See the entrepreneurship page to learn more.

    Although our project seeks to satisfy a current need, it is neither fair nor right to compromise future generations. This is why we decided to build up our project taking into account three main aspects: social, economic and ecological. This way, we seek to develop an integral solution that contributes to the sustainable development of our community.

    iRNAldo showing something
    Agrocapsi is a solutions that takes into account social, economic and ecological aspects

    Click on each of the blocks below to learn more about how each of these aspects was considered throughout the development of the project!

    Environmental
    Social
    Economic
    Environmental
    ENVIRONMENTAL

    According to the American Chemical Society, in 1993 there were more than 13 million chemical products in use, to which approximately 500,000 new active pesticide compounds are added each year. These components are used merely because of their availability to the public, however, they are not as effective as should be, they are highly toxic and they are not biodegradable. In the long run, these substances accumulate in the soil, making it infertile. They also polute the air and nearby bodies of water, harming not only food but also animals, plants, and human beings.

    This problem can be eliminated by seeking fungicides that are more specific to the microorganism causing the infection and by avoiding the use of chemical substances. The use of peptides ensures their biodegradability in the soil and, due to their nature, they are not toxic. iRNA guarantees pathogen specificity, reducing soil infertility by keeping the beneficial microbiota intact. What increases the specificity of the product is the delivery method, by choosing nanoencapsulation (see the Project Design to learn more) it prevents it from attacking any other microorganisms.

    All these decisions to carry out Agrocapsi were taken into account to preserve the environment and to continue making use of it.

    During the interviews, farmers and experts received information on the effects of agrochemicals on the environment. José Luis García explained that some treatments used for wilt affect beneficial microorganisms as well. On the other hand, Alejandro Olivas mentioned that agrochemicals generate resistance, so he produces his own agro-inputs and uses biological control. That is why we tried to make our solution sustainable, not to generate Phytophthora capsici resistance due to the use of antimicrobial peptides. At the same time, it does not contaminate water bodies nor harm plants and animals.

    Social
    SOCIAL

    The products are classified as toxic depending on the properties of the components. The substance is toxic when it has the ability to poison or cause damage to any living being, related to the dose consumed. You can be poisoned by coming in contact with said substance. For example, chemicals that do not degrade leave remains in the food, which can cause damage to anyone that consumes it.

    In 1990, the World Health Organization estimated one million deaths from pesticide poisoning per year, a number that increases over time. The term UAPP (Unintentional Acute Pesticide Poisoning) is used to identify this severe problematic that continues to grow and endanger public health (Boedeker et al., 2020).

    The information gathered in the interviews with producers and experts confirmed the importance of generating products that do not leave toxic residues on the fruit. Pablo Solís mentioned that he was forced to look for alternatives because many agrochemicals leave residues. Chilli processing companies such as La Morena and Costeña have some requirements regarding the agrochemicals used to guarantee food safety. Growers Jose Luis Garcia, Lorenzo Perez, Alejandro Olvias are aware of the importance of using the right products.

    On the other hand, Judith told us that in order to export outside the country or to be a supplier of companies that process chilli, it is necessary to have certain certifications. These certifications guarantee that your crops are safe for consumption and consider three main risks: physical, chemical and microbiological.

    Regarding familiarity on synthetic biology, we asked each producer at the end of each interview what came to their minds when they heard the word synthetic biology. Most of the producers had never heard the word. Others related it to transgenics and showed a stance against its use. However, they were interested in trying new alternatives to protect their crops and therefore the health of their workers.

    Synthetic biology applied to agriculture offers the opportunity to reduce and eliminate many risks to users' health. Agrocapsi offers the possibility of eliminating these risks to producers and consumers. By not informing the new generations about these new technologies, a rejection sense is created that prevents the resolution of these problems. This is why we designed educational strategies to raise awareness about the plethora of possibilities that using synthetic biology can create. You can read more about them on our Education page.

    Economic
    ECONOMICAL

    Diseases developed by Phytophthora capsici cause up to 100% of losses in crops for farmers. There are several agrochemicals that are used. However, they are not very specific for this oomycete and generate resistance to the pathogen. This was confirmed by the producers, who spend important sums on many agro-inputs and sometimes they no longer try to rescue the plant since it will die anyway. This results in economic losses by spending on many substances and in the loss of so much product.

    Producers told us that due to the speed at which this pathogen destroys crops, the most intelligent way to attack is by applying preventive methods. All producers have worked in agriculture for more than 18 years. This activity has passed from generation to generation and represents a significant source of income for them and their families.

    Producer Rafael Ortega believes that the key to success is having adequate pest prevention. Hence, he invests in many agricultural supplies for pest prevention, since this disease kills the crop in just a few days, leaving a great production and economic loss.

    For the producer José Luis García it is extremely important to use products that are accepted by chilli companies, and that do not leave residues on the fruit for the crop to not be rejected.

    Producer Lorenzo Pérez contributes to the national and local economy. Since most of his products are sold to La Costeña Chilli company and the rest is sold to local businesses.

    The chilli producer Efrain Hernandez told us his concern about wilting caused by very resistant pathogens that keep affecting year after year, representing great economical and production losses.

    Eng. Octavio Flores and Eng. Joaquin Nava told us that small producers are disappearing due to the lack of support from the government and the high costs of agricultural supplies.

    Based on all the information we received, we realized the importance of the effectiveness of our product. We had to design a product that would be truly effective in controlling losses due to the oomycete. At the same time, it has to be cost-effective, ensuring the economy of producers and the food security of Mexico and the world.

    4) Evaluation and implementation

    Evaluation and implementation

    The population mainly affected by this problem has always been kept in mind during the creation of our solution and who better than them to evaluate the product with the advice that they were kind enough to give us. We are fully committed on finding the solution that makes the difference based on the feedback and insights provided. To develop Agrocapsi, arduous research had to be carried out, as well as many hours spent in the laboratory. But all of this is to help people, they are the main focus of what we do. To achieve this we plan that the project does not remain just an idea.

    The producers were presented with the product already integrated with the remarks received throughout the development of the project. They were deeply happy to see that their suggestions were taken into account and told us that although some may seem like very small changes, they actually make a big difference when choosing what product to use on their crops.

    Agronomy Engineers also evaluated our product from a more technical angle, something they commented on is that although we are at a starting point of the project it looks completely fine, but we have to wait for it to be tested by more people on a daily basis to receive input that will further enrich the project. In other words, generate a loop of recommendations, make the changes and wait for them to use it, generating a cycle that allows the continous improvement of the product.

    TESTIMONIES

    Find out what our stakeholders thought of Agrocapsi!

    Producer icon.

    Pablo Solís

    Producer

    He thought we were developing a complete product. However, he knows that things change in the field. It would be necessary for us to wait for the field tests to see how the product behaves. It is easy to test it in the lab or on a pot, but products tend to behave differently in larger areas. Also, we should keep in mind that we are all learning, producers and us, so we are all in this together trying to find a solution. He also offered his chilli crops for when we needed field trials.

    Agronomist icon.

    Israel García

    Agronomist

    He said the product is very good. He hopes it will provide an actual solution. He suggests that we should not lose motivation and that only practice will tell us what we are missing or what can be enhanced.

    Agronomist icon.

    Ricardo Valdez

    Agronomist

    He mentioned that the product seems innovative according to the present needs in agriculture. He thinks that our solution could be extrapolated to other similar problems in the field. He emphasized we must observe the behavior of our product in different soils since the physical properties of the soil can cause variations in the effect of the product.

    Producer icon.

    Manuel Reyes

    Producer

    He believes it is important to look for solutions for the field and hopes that the product really works. He also believes that practice will make us understand more about this problem. He had never heard the word synthetic biology before, but believes it has a lot of applications in the soil.

    Agronomist icon.

    Ramiro Gardea

    Agronomist

    He thought the product we propose is a very interesting proposal. Here in the region there is a need to solve a large number of diseases that cause losses to farmers, especially wilt. He mentioned that he liked the idea of a liquid presentation.

    Maria Fernanda interviewing farmers
    Maria Fernanda and Judith giving a presentation to farmers
    Judith talking with farmers

    We also plan to conduct a technical evaluation of our product in greenhouses and fields. Two of the farmers who supported us with their feedback in the project development offered to lend their fields for the tests. Click on the buttons to check out the letters!

    If the pdf is not displayed Click here to download it.


    If the pdf is not displayed Click here to download it.

    REFERENCES

    Boedeker, W., Watts, M., Clausing, P., & Marquez, E. (2020). The global distribution of acute unintentional pesticide poisoning: estimations based on a systematic review. BMC public health, 20(1), 1-19.

    Fernández-Herrera, Ernesto, Acosta-Ramos, Marcelo, & Pinto, Víctor Manuel. (2007). Efecto de Aplicaciones de Fungicidas Sobre la Incidencia de la Marchitez (Phytophthora capsici Leo.) del Jitomate (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) en Invernadero. Revista mexicana de fitopatología, 25(2), 186-189. Recuperado en 22 de julio de 2022, de http://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0185-33092007000200014&lng=es&tlng=es.

    Instituto Interamericano de Cooperación para la Agricultura. (2021). MÉXICO: UN GIGANTE DEL SECTOR AGROPECUARIO DECIDIDO A CERRAR BRECHAS SOCIALES EN EL CAMPO., de Instituto Interamericano de Cooperación para la Agricultura (IICA) Sitio web: https://www.iica.int/es/prensa/noticias/mexico-un-gigante-del-sector-agropecuario-decidido-cerrar-brechas-sociales-en-el#:~:text=En%20total%2C%20M%C3%A9xico%20%2Duno%20de,y%20145.000%20pescadores%20y%20acuicultores

    Reyes-Tena, A., Rodríguez-Alvarado, G., Santillán-Mendoza, R., Díaz-Celaya, M., & Fernández-Pavía, S. P. (2019). Marchitez causada por Fusarium solani en chile chilaca (Capsicum annuum) en Michoacán. Revista Mexicana de Fitopatología, 37(1), 43-47.

    Wang, L., & Ji, P. (2021). Fitness and competitive ability of field isolates of Phytophthora capsici resistant or sensitive to fluopicolide. Plant Disease, 105(4), 873-878.

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