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New facility at Lethbridge to dramatically boost biocontrol research

A new multimillion dollar biocontainment facility at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's (AAFC) Lethbridge Research Centre will dramatically expand Canada's capacity for leading-edge biocontrol research.

The facility will include a laboratory built to Bio Safety Level three (BSL-3) standards and will be one of the top three of its kind in the world, says Dr. Peter Burnett, Acting Director of the Centre. The facility is part of a broader, multi-year Centre expansion and upgrade slated for completion this fall, which will boost overall research capacity by 30 percent.

"This state-of-the-art biocontainment facility is the type of resource Canada needs to position itself among the world leaders in biocontrol research for the long-term," says Burnett. "Every effort has been made to ensure it offers our researchers the very best in both technology and utility."

Biocontrol has emerged as one of the most promising pest control approaches, says Dr. Rose DeClerck-Floate, biocontrol researcher and user representative on the Centre expansion committee. It involves using living organisms - such as insects that feed on weeds or pest insects - as control agents. Advantages of biocontrol include targeting, cost-efficiency, long-term effectiveness and reduction in pesticide use. Researchers will use the new facility to develop biocontrol agents against weeds, insects and pathogens, using either beneficial insects or microbes.

"Biocontrol is still gaining acceptance as a tool in crop production and range management, but it has tremendous potential," says DeClerck-Floate. "The new facility will greatly improve our ability to evaluate potential biocontrol agents and develop them as practical tools for pest management strategies."

The biocontainment facility will include components for work with insects and insect or plant pathogens, she says. Parts used for pathogen research have been built to BSL-3 standards, which means they are designed to handle agents with potential for airborne transmission. The standards include a combination of practices and procedures and facility containment specifications. Among the facility's many security features is a negative air pressure system to prevent the escape of airborne particles.

"The facility was built based on the latest knowledge, with input from experts around the world," says DeClerck-Floate. "Throughout design and construction, we showed our plans to researchers and listened to their advice, and we toured similar facilities to borrow from their best elements."

The design was tailored for each component of the facility, she adds. "For example, to design the insect containment areas, we kept natural insect behaviour in mind. Many insects prefer natural light for development or mating, so windows were provided in the rearing rooms. Walls were also painted light colours so we can see insects if they try to escape, and ceilings were kept low for easy re-capture."

Including the biocontainment facility, the Lethbridge Research Centre expansion will feature 13 new laboratories and associated offices, along with insect rearing facilities, a food research facility and a new greenhouse complex.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Lethbridge Research Centre has a mandate to promote innovation for growth, maintain security of the food system and protect the health of the environment.

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