Insecticide Microbiology

Of all the food produced in the world one third is lost to insect pests, weeds and diseases, and the total world population is estimated as growing from 4000 million in 1975 to about 6000 million by the year 2000. To satisfy these needs, the world's farmers must meet the extra requirement every year. The easiest way in which farmers can increase the amount of food they produce is to prevent the loss due to pests. The biological control measures which were once thought to be the safest methods of pest control have, as we now know, not proved successful on a commercial scale. In such a dismal situation the only solution is to use pesticides to save the losses from pests and to increase the crop yield. Apart from agriculture, pesticides have also contributed much to human com fort by controlling the vectors of typhoid, malaria, sleeping sickness, filariasis, dengue hemorrhage fever, plague etc. On the other hand, the indiscriminate use of insecticides and their harmful effects on nontarget organisms has attracted much attention from people in all walks of life, for example, scientists, administrators, the press and the public. The harmful effects of insecticides on higher organisms such as birds, fish and mammals are easy to observe and have received much attention. However, the interactions of insecticides with microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, algae and protozoa have gone unnoticed until recently.

Microbial Pesticides: Biological Resources, Production and Application provides a concise and accessible introduction on the history of microbial pesticides, their impact on global ecology, human society and economies, as well as a thorough and tangible description of the state-of-the-art technologies available for the production, application, limitations and long–term viability of these bio-products. Information is listed per biological group (i.e., virus, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, microsporidia and microbial metabolites), and is supported by sound scientific data. The book is copiously illustrated, with original pictures clarifying the most common techniques and protocols utilized in microbiological biocontrol technology. Finally, images of all biological active ingredients currently used in commercially produced formulations, as well as laboratory developed formulations, are illustrated and listed in detailed tables for prompt access. Provides a concise and accessible introduction to the history of microbial pesticides and their impact on global ecology, human society and economies Offers a thorough and tangible description of state-of-the-art technologies surrounding the production, application, limitations and long-term viability of bio-products Reports current regulatory measures and protocols used to assess host range and collateral impact(s) of microbial formulations based on virus, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, microsporidia and microbial metabolites Features lists by biological group (i.e., virus, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, microsporidia and microbial metabolites) Links sound scientific data and concise, accessible language

Biological pesticides are increasingly finding therr place in IPM and increasing numbers of products are making therr way to the marketplace. Particularly in China, Latin America and Australia, implementation is proceeding on a large scale. However, in the USA and Europe, registration procedures for insect pathogens to be used for insect control have been established that requrre low levels of risk, resulting in costs of retarding the implementation of microbial agents. This book provides a review of the state of the art of studies on the envrronmental impact of microbial insecticides. It originates from a Society for Invertebrate Pathology Microbial Control Division Symposium .. Assessment of envrronmental safety of biological insecticides", organised in collaboration with the EU-ERBIC research project (FAIR5-CT97-3489). This symposium was initiated by Heikki Hokkanen and Chris Lomer, and was held at the SIP Annual Meeting in 2001 in The Netherlands. The emphasis in this book is on large scale use of microbial agents for insect control, demonstrating how this use has been proceeding with minimal envrron mental impact. This book is intended to be of use to regulatory authorities in determining whether further studies in eertain areas are necessary and how to conduct them if needed, or whether sufficient information has been collected already to permit fuH registration of many of these biological control agents.

A complete overview of the technologies and products for microbial-based pest control. It documents the use of genetically altered Bt and transgenic crops, microbial formulations, and synergistic interactions of microbials with synthetic chemicals, as well as the management of Bt foliar applications and Bt genes in transgenic crops. The book includes case studies and pathogen, products and manufacturers indices.

The insect!1 remain in symbiotic associations with a tremendous number of microorganisms, and some of them could be classified as parasitic/pathogenic. Without question, insect pathogens act as natural mortality agents and represent the third leg of the triad of biological control which is an environmentally sound alternative to chemical control. The virulence and pathogenicity of an insect parasite i. e. disease agent are determined by the microbial genome as a result of the coordinated expression of a concert of genes. These genes may be organized as cassettes and be associated with transmissible DNA. The acquisition of these domains or pathogenicity islands, may be sufficient to develop a transgenic virulent pathogen. The insect pathogens are very specific and this property can be exploited in making insects sick. However, rarely have field applications of highly virulent strains of viruses, fungi, bacteria, protozoa resulted in massive insect population reductions or induced widespread, persistent epizootics as the same is also governed by host susceptibility regulated by genetics, age, sex and physiological state of the host. Insect pathogens causing acute or chronic diseases must be able to persist in the environment, to multiply in the host, and to spread to other susceptible hosts. In this book, I have attempted to bring together all recent studies regarding both fundamental and more applied research aspects related to entomopathogens, bacteria, viruses, fungi and nematodes in order to facilitate their development and commercial exploitation.

Registration requirements and safety considerations for microbial pest control agents; Ecological overview: potential impact of microbial insecticides; Safety of microbial insecticides to vertebrates; Safety of microbial insecticides to nontarget invertebrates.

Biotechnological research has provided key developments in pest control agents, focusing on pathogens of insect pests as formulated biological pesticides. Emphasis has been placed on bacteria and viruses as they are well understood and easily manipulated. Microbial Biopesticides provides a comprehensive overview of the advances made in the use of b

The field of microbial insecticides encompasses the highly diverse life forms bacteria, fungi, nematodes and viruses. They play an essential role in the management of pests in cultivated crops and play a crucial role in the life of farmers and agricultural industry. This book provides a single reference volume with appeal to all levels and fields, including those working in research, teaching, government and industries, assemblages in plant communities.