Question

What are the Biocontrol Agents of Microbes? Give the Advantages of Biocontrol Agents.

Answer 1

Microbes as Biocontrol Agents :

• Insecticides and Pesticides toxic, harmful & are pollutants.
• Natural predation better method.
• No of pests kept in check, not totally eradicated. 
• Food chains not disturbed Eg. Ladybird and Dragon flies useful to get rid of aphids and mosquitoes. 
• Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) used to control butterfly caterpillar. 
• Mode of spores operation. 
• Available is sachets, mixed with water and sprayed on plants. 
• Eaten by insect larva 
• Toxin released in gut kills larvae. 
• Now Bt toxin genes introduced into plants – resistant to insect pests. e.g. Bt cotton.
• Tungus trichoderma now being developed.
• Nucleo polyhedrovirus– good for narrow spectrum insecticide applications.

Advantages :

• No negative impacts on plants, mammals, birds, fish or target insects.
• For overall IMP (Intergrated pest Management) programme.
• For ecologically sensitive areas.