Microbial pesticides

Microbial pesticides are one of the major groups of biopesticides, the others being biochemical pesticides and plant-incorporated protectants. Microbial pesticides consist of bacteria, fungi and viruses. Because they contain only natural substances, they are less toxic than chemical pesticides, and usually affect only the specific target pest. Usually they do not kill beneficial insects, but a few microbial pesticides may affect other arthropods. Some authors also consider Entomopathogenic nematodes to be microbial pesticides. The bacteria include Bacillus thuringiensis (commonly written as Bt) and members of the Pseudomonas fluorescens complex, the fungi Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. and Verticillium lecanii R. Zare & W. Gams, whereas the viruses include the Lymantria dispar and Neodiprion sertifer viruses.

References

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Dwivedi, P.K., Dubey, A.K., Tiwari, S.K., Astik, J. and Mukul, K. 2017. Efficacy of some botanicals biopesticides and insecticides against onion thrips Thrips tabaci Lindeman in Uttar Pradesh. Journal of Experimental Zoology 20: 89-91.

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Tomlin C. 2016. The Pesticide Manual, 14th Edition. British Crop Protection Council, Farham, Survey, UK, pp.1349.