Naturally Occurring Baculoviruses for Insect Pest Control

Baculoviruses of insects have been promoted for their pest control potential forinore than half a century (1 ). Despite this, only a few have been successful in biological control, and almost none has proven a commercial success, or is used routinely for large-scale Insect controlin industrialtied countries Baculoviruses have, however, achievedinoderate success in some developing countries. Thus, in addition to discussing the use of naturally occurring baculoviruses as pest-control agents, the reasons why these viruses have not been of greater commercial success in industrialized countries will be considered. This requires definition of both the different ways baculoviruses can be used for insect control, and the performance expectations used to evaluate baculovirus success. Such an assessment identifies the key features required for a virus to be successful as a control agent. Though baculoviruses are used as the examples here, these principles apply to other pathogens, and many predators and parasites, as well.