Question

What is the primary advantage of using baculoviruses as biocontrol agents in integrated pest management?

Options

• They have no negative impact on beneficial insects and can be used to conserve them

• They eliminate all insect species indiscriminately

• They increase crop yield by enhancing plant growth

• They are cheaper to produce than chemical pesticides

Answer 1

Baculoviruses are species-specific and narrow-spectrum insecticidal agents with no negative impact on plants, mammals, birds, fish, or non-target insects. This makes them especially useful in integrated pest management where beneficial insects need to be conserved as part of a balanced ecosystem.