Controlling Insect Pests
Introduction:
Controlling insect pests is a major challenge for farmers in India. These pests significantly
reduce crop yields and cause economic losses. Here's an overview of strategies used in
India, with a focus on the environmentally-friendly Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
approach:
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
IPM is a holistic approach that prioritizes minimizing pesticide use and emphasizes a
combination of these strategies:
• Cultural Control:
o Crop rotation: Prevents pests from specializing on one crop.
▪ Concept: Planting different crops in sequence on the same land over
time.
▪ Benefits:
▪ Disrupts the life cycle of pests that rely on a specific crop for
survival and reproduction.
▪ Reduces the buildup of pest populations in the soil.
▪ Improves soil health by promoting diverse microbial communities
and preventing nutrient depletion from continuous monoculture
(growing the same crop repeatedly).
▪ Example: Rotating rice with legumes like pulses or peanuts helps
control specific insect pests like rice stem borers and nematodes.
o Intercropping: Planting different crops together confuses pests.
▪ Concept: Growing two or more crops simultaneously in the same field.
▪ Benefits:
▪ Creates a confusing environment for pests, making it harder for
them to locate their preferred host plant.
▪ Example: Intercropping maize with beans can help control fall
armyworms and leafhoppers in both crops.
o
o Tillage: Disrupts pest lifecycles by disturbing the soil.
o Trap crops: Attract pests away from the main crop.
Crop rotation
• Physical and Mechanical Control:
o Handpicking of insects: Effective for larger pests.
o Barriers and traps: Sticky traps, nets, light traps.
Insect light traps
• Biological Control:
o Natural enemies: Introducing predators (like ladybugs) and parasites to
control pests populations.
o Biopesticides: Using naturally derived pesticides like neem oil or Bacillus
thuringiensis (Bt).
ladybugs
• Chemical Control:
o Chemical control using insecticides can be effective in eliminating or
repelling pests, but due to its potential drawbacks, it should only be employed
as a last resort within the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) framework.
Here's why:
Drawbacks of Chemical Control:
• Environmental Impact: Broad-spectrum insecticides often
harm beneficial insects like ladybugs and honeybees, crucial
for pollination and maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Additionally,
they can contaminate water bodies and soil, posing risks to
aquatic life and human health through residues in food.
• Pest Resistance: Overreliance on the same insecticides can
lead to pest populations developing resistance, rendering the
chemicals ineffective over time. This necessitates using even
stronger and potentially more harmful insecticides, creating a
vicious cycle.
o Example: Consider a farmer facing a problem with aphids on their tomato
plants. While readily available broad-spectrum insecticides like
neonicotinoids might seem like a quick solution, their use can:
It's essential to choose IPM methods best suited to specific crops, pests, and local conditions.
Consulting agricultural experts from local universities or government agencies can provide tailored
advice for your region.
BIOCONTROL OF INSECT PESTS
INTRODUCTION
• There is a vast majority of microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria, fungi,
protozoa, and mycoplasma, known to kill the insect pests.
• The suitable preparations of such microorganisms for control of insects is called
as “microbial insecticides”.
• The microbial insecticides are non-hazardous, non-phytotoxic and selective in
their action.
• Pathogenic microorganisms which kill insects are ;
o Viruses (DNA containing viruses e.g. baculovirus iridovirus,
entomopoxvirus),
o Bacteria (Bacillus thuringiensis, B. popilliae, B. sphaericus, B. moritai) and
o Fungi (e.g. Aspergillus ,Coelomomyces, Entomophthora, Fusarium,
Hirsutella, Paecilomyces).
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Bacterial Pesticides: Bacillus thuringiensis
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt):
• Widespread: Found in soil, litter, and dead insects.
• Spore-forming: Forms protective structures for survival and dispersal.
• Toxin Production: Produces various toxins, including:
o α-, β-, and γ-exotoxins: Less significant for insect control.
o δ-endotoxin (primary insecticide):
▪ Crystalline form
▪ Composed of a glycoprotein subunit
▪ Targets specific insect larvae, particularly Lepidoptera (moths
and butterflies)
Mode of Action:
1. Ingestion: Insect larvae ingest Bt spores while feeding.
2. Spore germination: Spores germinate in the alkaline environment of the
larvae's gut and Protein crystals are dissolved in Alkaline environment.
3. Toxin activation: δ-endotoxin dissolves and activates in the gut juice.
4. Binding and cell death: Toxin binds to specific receptors in the gut lining,
creating pores and causing cell death.
5. Larval death: Extensive gut damage leads to the death of the larvae.
Benefits of Bt as a Biocontrol Agent:
• Target-specific: Primarily harms targeted insect larvae, minimizing harm to
beneficial insects and other organisms.
• Biodegradable: Decomposes naturally in the environment, posing minimal
long-term risk.
• Safe for humans and mammals: Generally non-toxic when ingested by humans
and other mammals.
Limitations of Bt:
• Sunlight sensitivity: Degrades quickly in sunlight, requiring careful application
for effectiveness.
• Potential for resistance: Overuse can lead to insect populations developing
resistance to the toxin.
Use of Transgenic Plants: A New Area of Biocontrol
Alternative to Spraying Bt:
Instead of relying on spraying suspensions of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), scientists are
exploring the use of transgenic plants as a novel biocontrol method. This involves
introducing genes from Bt, specifically those encoding insecticidal toxins, into the
plant's genome.
Development of "Killer Cotton":
A remarkable example is the development of "killer cotton" by a collaboration
involving Monsanto, Australian companies, and research institutions of USA and
INDIA. This genetically engineered cotton variety incorporates the Bt toxin gene,
enabling it to:
• Produce the toxin directly: The leaves of the transgenic cotton plants secrete
the lethal toxins, eliminating the need for external spraying.
• Target specific pests: The toxin specifically targets and kills bollworms
(Heliothis sp.), a major cotton pest, while being harmless to beneficial insects,
spiders, humans, and other mammals.
Other Examples of Transgenic Plants for Pest Control:
• Transgenic Tomato: Scientists have created transgenic tomatoes expressing
the Bt toxin gene through bacterial vectors, enabling them to resist three
different tomato pests.
• Transgenic Tobacco: Similar approaches have been used to create transgenic
tobacco plants resistant to the hornworm (Manduca sexta).
• Transgenic E. coli: While not directly used in plants, researchers have also
successfully expressed Bt genes in E. coli bacteria for large-scale production of
the larvicidal proteins.
Potential Benefits of Transgenic Plants for Biocontrol:
• Reduced reliance on pesticides: Can potentially reduce dependence on
chemical insecticides, lowering environmental impact and associated risks.
• Targeted pest control: Offers targeted control of specific pests, minimizing
harm to beneficial insects.
• Continuous protection: Provides continuous protection as the toxin is
produced throughout the plant's growth cycle.
Important Considerations:
• Regulations and public perception: The use of transgenic plants in agriculture
is subject to strict regulations and public scrutiny due to concerns about
potential environmental and health risks, requiring careful evaluation and
transparent communication.
• Potential for resistance: As with Bt sprays, overreliance on specific toxins in
transgenic plants can lead to pest resistance over time, necessitating the
development of alternative strategies.
Viral Pesticides: A Promising Approach to Biological Pest Control
A promising development in the fight against insect pests is the use of viruses as
biopesticides. Two main groups of viruses are particularly effective:
• Baculoviruses: These naturally occurring viruses specifically infect insects, with
each virus strain targeting a specific insect species or group.
• Cytoplasmic Polyhedrosis Viruses (CPVs): Another group of insect-specific
viruses, although less commonly used than Baculoviruses for pest control.
Advantages:
• Target-specific: Harmless to beneficial insects, pollinators, warm-blooded
animals, and humans.
• Non-polluting: No detrimental environmental impact.
• Effective: Infect and kill insect pests.
Nuclear Polyhedrosis Viruses (NPVs): A Widespread Biocontrol Strategy
• Versatile: NPVs effectively control a diverse range of pests, including moths
and sawflies.
• Examples:
o Heliothis sp.: NPVs used against these crop pests. Commercial products
like Elcar™, Biotrol VHZ, and Viron/H.
o Gypsy moths: Successfully controlled by "Gypchek".(NPV Formulation)
o Sawflies: Various species managed using NPVs like "Polyvirocide".
o Trichoplusia (Brassica pest) and Spodoptera litura (cotton
pest): Commercialized biocontrol with "Biotrol-VTN" and "Biotrol-VSE".
Methods of Application:
• Direct feeding to larvae in artificial diets.
• Ultra-low volume spraying
Cytoplasmic Polyhedrosis Viruses (CPVs): Additional Tools
While less commonly used than NPVs, CPVs offer additional options for specific pest
control:
• France: CPVs were successfully employed against the pine processionary
caterpillar (Thaumetopoea pityocamps), demonstrating their potential in
specific situations.
• Japan: The commercially available product "Matsukemin" utilizes CPVs to
effectively control the pine caterpillar (Dendrolimus spectabilis)
Mycopesticide:
Entomopathogenic Fungi: Promising Biocontrol Agents
Renewed Interest:
• Recent studies on the use of entomopathogenic fungi (fungi that kill insects)
for pest control have sparked renewed interest among mycologists worldwide.
• This has led to the commercial production of fungal preparations as
alternative biocontrol solutions.
Unique Mode of Action:
• Unlike bacteria and viruses, entomopathogenic fungi have a distinct mode of
action:
o Infective propagules: Spores (conidia, etc.) act as the infective agents.
o Entry points: These spores reach the insect's internal cavity (haemocoel)
through either:
▪ Integument: Penetration through the insect's outer body
covering.
▪ Mouth: Ingestion through feeding.
o Attachment and germination: Once inside, the spores attach to the
insect's epicuticle (outermost layer) and germinate.
