Insect Pathogens as Biological Control Agents: Do They Have a Future?

TL;DR: B. bassiana isolate KTU-53 appears to be the most promising microbial control agent for biocontrol of D. micans, one of the most serious destructive pests of oriental spruce.

TL;DR: This review focuses on common insecticidal virulence factors from entomopathogenic bacteria with special emphasis on two insect pathogenic bacteria Photorhabdus and Bacillus, two bacteria with dissimilar life styles, and the implications of the nervous system in biocontrol.

TL;DR: This study compares the susceptibility of six lepidopteran cell lines to Malacosoma neustria nucleopolyhedrovirus (ManeNPV), finding Tn5 and LdElta cells to be productive, while Sf21, Bm-5, Se-1, and Cf-124T cells are non-productive, with varying levels of viral replication and cytopathic effects.

TL;DR: In this article, a classification for crystal protein genes of Bacillus thuringiensis is presented, based on the insecticidal spectra and the amino acid sequences of the encoded proteins.

TL;DR: Initial Handling and Diagnosis of Diseased Insects and Complementary Techniques--Preparation of Entomopathogens and Diseased Specimens for more detailed study.

TL;DR: This chapter focuses on the techniques used for identifying, isolating, propagating, assay, assaying, and preserving nematodes that are parasitic in or pathogenic to insects.

TL;DR: The current status and potential use of baculovirus vectors for the expression of foreign genes in insect cells are described and are contributing to understanding the molecular biology of gene and protein function and regulation in both vertebrate and insect systems.