17/12/2014

Bio-Control Agents: Bioinsecticides and Bioherbicides

Bio-Control Agents: Bioinsecticides

and Bioherbicides
by Saritha Pujari Micro-Biology

Bio-Control Agents: Bioinsecticides and Bioherbicides!

In India, the estimated gross loss in crop production due to insects
and disease is staggering 45% or Rs. 290 billion per annum.
Converted efforts are being made to use microorganisms to control
insect pests, pathogens and even weeds; this constitutes biological
control, and the biological agents employed for this purpose are
called bio-control agents.
Microorganisms used for bio-control are bacteria, viruses, fungi and
protozoa; some of them are being used at commercial scales (Table
14.18). Bio-control agents have been used to control mostly insect
pests, and occasionally for weed and disease control. A bio-control
agent should have the following features: (i) it should be specific to
the target host, (ii) it should have a high multiplication rate, and (iii)
it should not damage the environment (including human beings).

Bioinsecticides:
Microorganisms used for insect control are often called bioinsecticides, while the term bio-pesticide is used for all bio-control
agents, including biological and natural products like neem. Viruses,
bacteria, fungi, protozoa and mites are employed to control a variety
of insects attacking both plants and animals.
Although a large number of microorganisms attack insects, only a
limited number of them have found commercial application (Table
14.18). The technology for production and application of biohttp://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/micro-biology/bio-control-agents-bioinsecticides-and-bioherbicides/33604/

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Bio-Control Agents: Bioinsecticides and Bioherbicides

pesticides has been developed in India, and several bio-pesticides,

including a Bacillus thuringiensis based insecticide is being
commercially produced.
B. thuringiensis is a spore forming bacterium, which produces a
crystal protein as parasporic inclusion in the vegetative cell
containing the spore. The crystal protein is a protoxin, which is
processed into a toxin by the proteases present in insect mid-gut.
The toxin fragment binds to highly specific receptors present in the
membranes of gut epithelium cells; this binding ultimately causes
insect death. Several different types of crystal proteins are produced
by different strains of the bacterium, each protein having a specific
and, ordinarily, a narrow insect host range.
This highlights a very important feature of biopesticides: they are
specific to a well-defined range of target insect species. This is in
contrast to the chemical pesticides, which usually affect a very wide
range of target species. This property must be well appreciated by
the user of a biopesticide.
B. thuringiensis cells are produced in fermenters, as are other
bacteria and fungi (Table 14.18). The commercial preparations
usually contain a mixture of spores, crystal proteins and inert
carriers. The formulation may be in the form of a water dispersible
powder, wettable powder, emulsifiable concentrate, flowable
concentrate, granules or dust. It may be mixed with chemical
insecticides or fungicides, if required.
Table 14.18. A list of some biocontrol agents used agents
insects, pathogens and weeds:

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Bio-Control Agents: Bioinsecticides and Bioherbicides

The crystal protein activity disappears usually within 24-40 hr after

application, but the spores may persit for long periods and cause
harm to nontarget useful insects, e.g., silkworm. This problem is
sought to be overcome by developing mutants, which produce the
crystal protein but do not form spores.
Such mutants have been isolated by Indian scientists, and their
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Bio-Control Agents: Bioinsecticides and Bioherbicides

usefulness as biopesticide is being evaluated. However, there is one

point of caution. There is some evidence that if B. thuringiensis cells
are exposed to blood, they become primed to infect mice and human
wounds.
At least two insect viruses, called by the group name bacculoviruses,
are being used/likely to be used on commercial scale for insect
control. The nucleopolyhedrosis viruses (NPV) are used for insect
control on a commercial scale in USA and India (Tables 14.18, 14.19).
Table 14.19. Annual production of different bio-pesticides
in India:

Another bacculovirus, the granulosis viruses (GV), is also promising

and may achieve a commercial status for Spodoptera litura control in
India. Commercial production of these viruses is done in the larvae
of the target insects, e.g., NPV in Heliothis larvae.
Large scale production of fungi may use solid-state fermentation,
e.g., Hirsutella thompsonii, etc., a combination of solid-state and
submerged fermentations, or submerged fermentation, e.g.,
Beauveria bassiana, etc.

Bioherbicides:
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Bio-Control Agents: Bioinsecticides and Bioherbicides

Fungal pathogens are attractive bio-control agents for weed control

in view of their host specificity and ease in production and
inoculation in the field where, once established, they will spread on
their own. At least two fungal pathogens have achieved commercial
status in U.S.A. (Table 14.18).

Related Articles:
1. A Comparison between Bio-Pesticides and Chemical
Pesticides
2. Microorganisms: Definition, Types and Importance
(With Figure) | Biology
3. Major Role of Microorganisms on Aerobic Digestion
4. Distribution Channels Types: Mercantile Agents and
Merchant Middlemen!
5. Soil Erosion: Types, Agents and Conservation Practices
6. Viruses: Useful Essay on Viruses (301 Words)
7. 8 Ways of Exploiting Transgene Expression in Plants
8. Orchard Cultivation: Importance of Legumes for
Orchard Cultivation
9. Microbiological Quality of Fresh Foods: Degradation
and Preservation of Foods
10. Viruses: Definition, Characteristics, and Other Details
(With Figure) | Micro Biology
, Bioinsecticides

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