Microbes as biocontrol agents ppt registration#

Since biopesticides tend to pose fewer risks than conventional pesticides, EPA generally requires much less data to register a biopesticide than to register a conventional pesticide. The division also coordinates the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP). This division promotes the use of safer pesticides, including biopesticides, as components of IPM programs.

Microbes as biocontrol agents ppt registration#

In 1994, we established the Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division in the Office of Pesticide Programs to facilitate the registration of biopesticides. How does EPA encourage the development and use of biopesticides? To use biopesticides effectively (and safely), however, users need to know a great deal about managing pests and must carefully follow all label directions. When used as a component of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, biopesticides can greatly reduce the use of conventional pesticides, while crop yields remain high.Biopesticides often are effective in very small quantities and often decompose quickly, resulting in lower exposures and largely avoiding the pollution problems caused by conventional pesticides.Biopesticides generally affect only the target pest and closely related organisms, in contrast to broad spectrum, conventional pesticides that may affect organisms as different as birds, insectsВ and mammals.Biopesticides are usually inherently less toxic than conventional pesticides.What are the advantages of using biopesticides? The protein and its genetic material, but not the plant itself, are regulated by EPA. Then the plant, instead of the Bt bacterium, manufactures the substance that destroys the pest. For example, scientists can take the gene for the Bt pesticidal proteinВ and introduce the gene into the plant's own genetic material. Plant-Incorporated-Protectants (PIPs) are pesticidal substances that plants produce from genetic material that has been added to the plant. The target insect species are determined by whether the particular Bt produces a protein that can bind to a larval gut receptor, thereby causing the insect larvae to starve. While some Bt ingredients control moth larvae found on plants, other Bt ingredients are specific for larvae of flies and mosquitoes. Each strain of this bacterium produces a different mix of proteinsВ and specifically kills one or a few related species of insect larvae. The most widely used microbial pesticides are subspecies and strains of Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt. For example, there are fungi that control certain weedsВ and other fungi that kill specific insects. Microbial pesticides can control many different kinds of pests, although each separate active ingredient is relatively specific for its target pest. Microbial pesticides consist of a microorganism (e.g., a bacterium, fungus, virus or protozoan) as the active ingredient. Because it is sometimes difficult to determine whether a substance meets the criteria for classification as a biochemical pesticide, EPA has established a special committee to make such decisions. Biochemical pesticides include substancesВ that interfere with mating, such as insect sex pheromones,В as well as various scented plant extracts that attract insect pests to traps. Conventional pesticides, by contrast, are generally synthetic materials that directly kill or inactivate the pest. How EPA encourages the development and use of biopesticidesД«iopesticides fall into three major classes:Д«iochemical pesticides are naturally occurring substances that control pests by non-toxic mechanisms.View a list of biopesticide active ingredients. As of April 2016, there are 299 registered biopesticide active ingredients and 1401 active biopesticide product registrations. For example, canola oil and baking soda have pesticidal applications and are considered biopesticides. Biopesticides are certain types of pesticides derived from such natural materials as animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals.