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Bacillus thuringiensis : risk assessment

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Entomopathogenic Bacteria: from Laboratory to Field Application

Abstract

Use of biological control agents will dramatically increase in the next decades as farmers move towards environmentally safe agricultural practices, in response to the people request. Bacillus thuringiensis is one of these agents and the derivative products are estimated to rise at least 20% per year. However, there are some species with an increased activity against specific insects and a broader host range. In addition, recombinant DNA technology allows now to reach new derivatives or to introduce the genetic determinants into new hosts, including plants and other microbes. It is obvious that technology combined with the diversity of the Bt species will increase the scope for the application of Bt. The benefits to agriculture and for the environment are considerable, but the possibility of adverse environmental impact for the fauna and/or the flora due to the large scale application of the new Bt derivative products needs to be considered and evaluated. Moreover, little is known about the ecology of Bt and the role of spores in the environment.

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  1. Unité de Biochimie Microbienne, Institut Pasteur, URA 1300 CNRS, 25 rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France

    André Klier

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  1. Institut Pasteur, Paris, France

    Jean-François Charles , Armelle Delécluse  & Christina Nielsen-Le Roux ,  & 

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Klier, A. (2000). Bacillus thuringiensis : risk assessment. In: Charles, JF., Delécluse, A., Roux, C.NL. (eds) Entomopathogenic Bacteria: from Laboratory to Field Application. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-1429-7_26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-1429-7_26

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-5542-2

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