Advances in Pest Control: The Role of <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i>

Abstract

<i>Bacillus thuringiensis </i>(Bt), a popularly known biopesticide, has widest scope in skirmishing diverse species of insects. Numerous reports have appeared on the ecology and distribution of Bt around the world. Characterizing Bt strains based on <i>cry </i>gene contents envisages more on its application potential. In the recent past, organizing the <i>cry</i>

gene nomenclature based on protein/nucleotide sequence has overcome many ambiguities that persisted for long. This initiative of the decade has paved way to face the challenges of new additions in <i>cry </i>genes and assigning its phylogenetic position. <i>In vitro </i>evidences on insect mortality are most often not reproducible under field conditions. Therefore, numerous formulations have been developed by various entrepreneurs to combat insect pest menace. In malevolence of all advantages, development of resistance is the greatest threat to Bt indnstry and environmentalists as well. Though several alternative methods are practiced, it needs enormous effort to really understand the mode of development of resistance and to combat it accordingly. In agrarian and health sector, development of transgenic organisms is the recent trendsetter deserving attention. However, there is a cause for concern in advocating transgenics since the long-term effects of transgenics on the living organisms is not well understood. After weighing the advantages and &nbsp;disadvantages of application of Bt in the environment, it could be concluded that Bt definitely offers best scope in being biodegradable, non-toxic, target specific and most importantly renewable compared to chemical insecticides for the control of insect-pests.