Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis is a biopesticide high in demand due to its eco-friendly nature and high efficacy. The use of Bti in developing countries is still limited mainly due to the bioprocess complexicity involved in scale-up and related high cost of production. In this research work, we have shown the fed-batch fermentation method using inexpensive alternatives for carbon and nitrogen /protein sources can effectively reduce the cost in large-scale production of Bti. We have also shown that with the addition of more than 3% starchy substrates there is no repression in growth compared to glucose and sucrose. The role of calcium chloride in inducing early sporulation as well as increasing toxicity is also well demonstrated. The role of various buffers and additives in increasing biomass production and early sporulation was also part of the study.
