DISEÑO Y CONSTRUCCIÓN DE UN BIORREACTOR PARA PROPAGACIÓN DE BEAUVERIA BASSIANA Y METARHIZIUM ANISOPLIAE, EN GRANOS DE ARROZ.

Abstract

Agriculture has the purpose of supplying food for the human being; However, there are pests and diseases that directly or indirectly damage crops. Therefore, the control of these organisms is indispensable. The use of entomopathogenic fungi, in bioinsecticides, is a biological control mechanism of great importance in agriculture. In this sense, a bioreactor design was proposed for the propagation of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae, using rice grains as a solid culture medium. The design methodology was based on different design process models, the objectives of each function-component of the bioreactor from dimensioning to energy demand (calories) were met, considering: feeding system, mixing system, steam boiler, heater and structure. The process involved conceptual design, detail design and construction of a prototype. In manufacturing, AISI 304 steel was used to ensure the innocuousness of the prototype. At the end, the hermeticity of the prototype, the rotation functionality of the mixing system and the control of the variables involved were validated. The next phase of the project will be to test and evaluate the prototype to guarantee the production of these entomopathogenic fungi.