The Agricultural Research Service has patented a new cultural process for mass-producing spores of the fungus Paecilomyces fumosoroseus as a biological pesticide for use against whiteflies and certain other insect pests to be determined. Microbiologist Mark Jackson developed the deep-tank liquid culture fermentation process at ARS National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Ill. There, he combined the fermentation with a procedure to formulate the fungal spores into an air-dried powder that can be wetted and sprayed onto plants. Paecilomyces kills whiteflies by penetrating their bodies to feed and grow. New spores emerge to infect other whiteflies, sparing nonhost insects as they spread. Despite the appeal of Paecilomyces as a biological alternative to chemically controlling the pest, past attempts to commercialize the fungus have stumbled on high production costs, quality control problems and other setbacks. Jackson's innovation allows the culture of the fungal spores that are then made stable for long-term cold storage. ARS, Research Agency for the USDA. www.ars.usda.gov