Biopesticides and bio-control agents are especially desirable, as more consumers become interested in purchasing products made with naturally derived ingredients. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a soil bacterium, is a well-known global success story when it comes to selectively managing pests. Individual strains of this bacterium can target specific insects or closely related groups of insects, making it ideal for eliminating pests while protecting beneficial insects.
Whether it’s applied topically as a crop protection product, or its genes are integrated into crops themselves through genetics, Bt can be an important tool. But Bt’s best characteristic may be what it doesn’t do: a 2019 analysis found that more than one billion acres of Bt crops have been grown globally, without harming the environment or human health.
Still, this agricultural superhero has its kryptonite: Bt resistant insects are on the rise due to its widespread use. To combat this issue, farmers use IPM strategies to rotate and alter their pest management tools—ultimately attacking the targeted pests with multiple modes of action. This approach reduces the pest’s ability to build resistance traits.
And innovation continues. Scientists are now looking at an additional tool called RNA interference, which in the future may be used in combination with Bt to provide another layer of defense against insects. The EPA approved an RNAi pesticide for the first time in 2017, and with researchers now working on cost-effective ways to apply it on a larger scale, its widespread use could be right around the corner.
Effective pest management and sustainability go hand in hand, and with the tenets of IPM, farmers are only getting better at protecting crops with solutions that are both environmentally and economically beneficial. And, as new innovations emerge to support forward-thinking pest management strategies, we can continue to build up our capabilities to care for crops, and our environment, at any scale.
Biopesticides and bio-control agents are especially desirable, as more consumers become interested in purchasing products made with naturally derived ingredients. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a soil bacterium, is a well-known global success story when it comes to selectively managing pests. Individual strains of this bacterium can target specific insects or closely related groups of insects, making it ideal for eliminating pests while protecting beneficial insects.
Whether it’s applied topically as a crop protection product, or its genes are integrated into crops themselves through genetics, Bt can be an important tool. But Bt’s best characteristic may be what it doesn’t do: a 2019 analysis found that more than one billion acres of Bt crops have been grown globally, without harming the environment or human health.
Still, this agricultural superhero has its kryptonite: Bt resistant insects are on the rise due to its widespread use. To combat this issue, farmers use IPM strategies to rotate and alter their pest management tools—ultimately attacking the targeted pests with multiple modes of action. This approach reduces the pest’s ability to build resistance traits.
And innovation continues. Scientists are now looking at an additional tool called RNA interference, which in the future may be used in combination with Bt to provide another layer of defense against insects. The EPA approved an RNAi pesticide for the first time in 2017, and with researchers now working on cost-effective ways to apply it on a larger scale, its widespread use could be right around the corner.
Effective pest management and sustainability go hand in hand, and with the tenets of IPM, farmers are only getting better at protecting crops with solutions that are both environmentally and economically beneficial. And, as new innovations emerge to support forward-thinking pest management strategies, we can continue to build up our capabilities to care for crops, and our environment, at any scale.
