Recombinant baculoviruses for insect control

Baculoviruses are double-stranded DNA viruses which are highly selective fo r several insect groups. They are valuable natural control agents, but thei r utility in many agricultural applications has been limited by their slow speed of kill and narrow host specificity. Baculoviruses have been genetica lly modified to express foreign genes under powerful promoters in order to accelerate their speed of kill. In our and other laboratories, the expressi on of genes coding for insect juvenile hormone esterases and various peptid e neurotoxins has resulted in recombinant baculoviruses with promise as bio logical insecticides. These viruses are efficacious in the laboratory, gree nhouse and field and dramatically reduce damage caused by insect feeding. T he recombinant viruses synergize and are synergized by classical pesticides such as pyrethroids. Since they are highly selective for pest insects, the y can be used without disrupting biological control. Because the recombinan t virus produces fewer progeny in infected larvae than the wild-type virus, they are rapidly out-competed in the ecosystem. The viruses can be used ef fectively with crops expressing endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis. They can be produced industrially but also by village industries, indicating tha t they have the potential to deliver sustainable pest control in developing countries. It remains to be seen, however, whether the current generation of recombinant baculoviruses will be competitive with the new generation of synthetic chemical pesticides. Current research clearly indicates, though, that the use of biological vectors of genes for insect control will find a place in agriculture. Baculoviruses will also prove valuable in testing th e potential utility of proteins and peptides for insect control. (C) 2001 S ociety of Chemical Industry.