Summary of discussions from the 2022 OECD CRP-sponsored conference on innovating microbial pesticide testing

Microbial pesticides are a class of biopesticide that includes microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa, that are applied for pest control. Mammalian (human health) and non-target organism hazard testing are required to support registrations of microbial pesticides; however, developers and regulators of microbial pesticides face both new and old challenges for testing. New challenges include how to design or adapt new approach methodologies (NAMs), typically developed for chemicals, to mammalian health testing for microbial pesticides. Older challenges involve need for improved guidance for hazard testing with non-target organisms. Both are viewed as potential barriers to the development and adoption of microbial pesticides, which are potential alternatives to chemical pesticides. The 2022 conference, Innovating Microbial Pesticide Testing (hereafter, “the Conference”), sponsored by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Cooperative Research Program (CRP), brought together experts on these topics from academic, industry, government, and non-governmental organizations to discuss the above challenges and establish plans to address them. Speakers presented on their perspectives of the challenges and potential solutions, which informed and guided panel discussions. This paper summarizes the contributions from presentations and panel discussions toward the conference conclusions and resulting workplans.