Question

Name the genus to which Baculovirus belongs. Describe their role in integrated pest management progress.

Answer 1

Hint: The pathogenic insect virus which is used to monitor pests insects and for generating recombinant proteins as instruments are known as Baculoviruses. Many studies showed that both natural and genetically engineered forms of this virus are strong and important for crop safety.

Complete answer:
Over 600 species of baculoviruses are identified and known to infect the invertebrates. Larval forms of moth species are considered to be the most common hosts, but these are also known to infect mosquitoes, shrimps, etc. The pathogens that attack insects and arthropods or rodents are called baculoviruses. They are also used as biocontrol and act as a biological agent that belongs to the genus Nucleopolyhedrovirus and the Baculoviridae family of viruses.

The use of different tactics, like biological control, bacteria and viruses, pest-resistant plants, etc. helps to reduce the chances of generating resistance and insect survival is Integrated Pest Management Programme. A large number of Lepidoptera are pests and these are controlled by the alpha and beta baculoviruses. Their use in IPM is accepted and increasing because of their safety and the biological control tools.

- These are the ideal candidates for insecticides applications in narrow-spectrum insecticides, species-specific.
- It is very important for organic farming as pests.
- They do not affect or harm plants, mammals, birds, fish and other non-target insects.
- This is helpful in the IPM (Integrated pest management) programme, in which valuable insects are retained or conserved.

Note:
- The baculoviruses are species-specific. It reaches the gut of the host after infecting them and releases occlusion bodies by this cell lysis occurs and the host cell starts to disintegrate.
- Baculoviruses are used as gene delivery vectors, viral vectors, modern biotechnology, in agriculture as a biopesticide, also used to produce glycoproteins and membrane proteins, etc.