Baculovirus Insecticides in Latin America: Historical Overview, Current Status and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Baculoviruses are known to regulate many insect populations in nature. Their host-specificity is very high, usually restricted to a single or a few closely related insect species. They are amongst the safest pesticides, with no or negligible effects on non-target organisms, including beneficial insects, vertebrates and plants. Baculovirus-based pesticides are compatible with integrated pest management strategies and the expansion of their application will significantly reduce the risks associated with the use of synthetic chemical insecticides. Several successful baculovirus-based pest control programs have taken place in Latin American countries. Sustainable agriculture (a trend promoted by state authorities in most Latin American countries) will benefit from the wider use of registered viral pesticides and new viral products that are in the process of registration and others in the applied research pipeline. The success of baculovirus-based control programs depends upon collaborative efforts among government and research institutions, growers associations, and private companies, which realize the importance of using strategies that protect human health and the environment at large. Initiatives to develop new regulations that promote the use of this type of ecological alternatives tailored to different local conditions and farming systems are underway.

Potential of betabaculoviruses to control the tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Meyrick)

“…However, food residues problems have motivated the development of sustainable pest control measures to mitigate such disadvantages. In this regard, baculoviruses appear as interesting active ingredient candidates for bio‐insecticides formulations as evidenced by successful experiences previously reported (Reviewed by Haase, Sciocco‐Cap, & Romanowski, ).…”

Biological and genetic characterization of a Pakistani isolate of Spodoptera litura nucleopolyhedrovirus

“…A limited number of baculoviruses is used around the globe (Haase, Sciocco-Cap, & Romanowski, 2015;Moscardi, de Souza Lobo, de Castro Batista, Moscardi, & Szewczyk, 2011;Sun, 2015) because practical limitations hamper their commercial development. These include low speed of kill as compared to chemical insecticides, narrow host range and unavailability of suitable isolates for commercialization (Erlandson, 2008;Szewczyk, Hoyos-Carvajal, Paluszek, Skrzecz, & Lobo de Souza, 2006).…”

A New Frontier for Biological Control against Plant Pathogenic Nematodes and Insect Pests I: By Microbes

“…The broken line inset box indicates the common microbial determinants of both insecticidal and nematicide capacity. Duarte et al, 2016;Gonzalez et al, 2016;Khan et al, 2016;Malekan et al, 2015;Mascarin and Jaronski, 2016;QuesadaMoraga et al, 2006;Ramanujam et al, 2014;Safavi, 2013;Xu et al, 2009 Metarhizium anisopliae Haase et al, 2015;Monteiro et al, 2012;Ramanujam et al, 2014;Yang et al, 2012HezeSNPV Helicoverpa zea Gemstar, HzNPV CCAB Haase et al, 2015Lacey et al, 2015;Rowley et al, 2011 MabrNPV Mamestra brassicae;H. armigera;S.…”