Why should biological control of pests and pathogens be preferred
to the conventional use of chemical pesticides? Explain how the following microbes act as biocontrol agents?
(i) Bacillus thuringiensis (ii) Nucleopolyhedrovirus.
Share
Why should biological control of pests and pathogens be preferred
to the conventional use of chemical pesticides? Explain how the following microbes act as biocontrol agents?
(i) Bacillus thuringiensis (ii) Nucleopolyhedrovirus.
Sign Up to our social questions and Answers Engine to ask questions, answer people’s questions, and connect with other people.
Login to our social questions & Answers Engine to ask questions answer people’s questions & connect with other people.
Bacillus thuringiensis as biocontrol agent
(i) Through genetic engineering, the gene coding for the toxic protein is introduced into crop plants, which make them resistant to insect pests.
(ii) When they are eaten by the larvae, the toxin becomes active in the gut of larvae and kills the larvae.
(iii) They are available in sachets as dried spores, which have to be mixed with water and sprayed onto vulnerable plants.
Baculovirus (Nucleopolyhedrovirus) as biocontrol agents:
(i) These are excellent candidates for species-specific, narrow spectrum insecticidal application.
(ii) They show no negative impact on plants, mammals, birds, fish or even non-target insects.
(iii) These are especially desirable when beneficial insects are being conserved to aid in an overall Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programme.