Microbial Control of Insect and Mite Pests: From Theory to Practice is an important source of information on microbial control agents and their implementation in a variety of crops and their use against medical and veterinary vector insects, in urban homes and other structures, in turf and lawns, and in rangeland and forests. This comprehensive and enduring resource on entomopathogens and microbial control additionally functions as a supplementary text to courses in insect pathology, biological control, and integrated pest management. It gives regulators and producers up-to-date information to support their efforts to facilitate and adopt this sustainable method of pest management. Authors include an international cadre of experts from academia, government research agencies, technical representatives of companies that produce microbial pesticides, agricultural extension agents with hands on microbial control experience in agriculture and forestry, and other professionals working in public health and urban entomology. - Covers all pathogens, including nematodes - Addresses the rapidly progressing developments in insect pathology and microbial control, particularly with regard to molecular methods - Demonstrates practical use of entomopathogenic microorganisms for pest control, including tables describing which pathogens are available commercially - Highlights successful practices in microbial control of individual major pests in temperate, subtropical, and tropical zones - Features an international group of contributors, each of which is an expert in their fields of research related to insect pathology and microbial control

The insect!1 remain in symbiotic associations with a tremendous number of microorganisms, and some of them could be classified as parasitic/pathogenic. Without question, insect pathogens act as natural mortality agents and represent the third leg of the triad of biological control which is an environmentally sound alternative to chemical control. The virulence and pathogenicity of an insect parasite i. e. disease agent are determined by the microbial genome as a result of the coordinated expression of a concert of genes. These genes may be organized as cassettes and be associated with transmissible DNA. The acquisition of these domains or pathogenicity islands, may be sufficient to develop a transgenic virulent pathogen. The insect pathogens are very specific and this property can be exploited in making insects sick. However, rarely have field applications of highly virulent strains of viruses, fungi, bacteria, protozoa resulted in massive insect population reductions or induced widespread, persistent epizootics as the same is also governed by host susceptibility regulated by genetics, age, sex and physiological state of the host. Insect pathogens causing acute or chronic diseases must be able to persist in the environment, to multiply in the host, and to spread to other susceptible hosts. In this book, I have attempted to bring together all recent studies regarding both fundamental and more applied research aspects related to entomopathogens, bacteria, viruses, fungi and nematodes in order to facilitate their development and commercial exploitation.

This Volume comprises 14 chapters in an attempt to provide the reader with available information on safe and effective use of entomopathogens. Chapters in this book dealing with soil-borne entomopathogens and their phylogeny also provide a review on most updated information of their isolation and molecular identification. Employing fungal pathogens in biological control programmes plays a key role, and conidial thermotolerance and oxidative stress are examined in separate chapters. Entomopathogenic bacteria are able to kill their hosts quickly. An important contribution concerns informations provided upon bacterial cytotoxic factors on insect haemocytes. Nematodes are biological control agents safe to the environment. The information with respect to their direct and indirect effects on non-target organisms is provided. Viruses as highly specific, virulent candidates for use as biological insecticides are safe to non-target species. A separate chapter on the role of granuloviruses in IPM contributes a wealth of information. Biopesticides in combination with synthetic insecticides are reported as effective, economic, and eco-friendly. Understanding their interactions will certainly promote their uses. Finally, emphasis has been given on reviewing synergistic and antagonistic interactions of microbial and chemical pesticides, in other chapters.

This field manual is designed to provide background and instruction on a broad spectrum of techniques and their use in the evaluation of entomopathogens in the field. The second edition provides updated information and includes two additional chapters and 12 new contributors. The intended audience includes researchers, graduate students, practitioners of integrated pest management (IPM), regulators and those conducting environmental impact studies of entomopathogens.

This volume reviews current developments in integrated pest management (IPM), focussing on insect pests. It discusses advances in understanding species and landscape ecology on which IPM is founded, as well as advances in cultural, physical and biological methods of control. The first part of the book reviews current developments in understanding insect species, community and agroecosystems ecology. This understanding provides the foundation for developing effective IPM programmes which work with ecosystems to keep pests from reaching damaging levels. Parts 2 and 3 then review advances in cultural, physical and, in particular, biological methods of control. Chapters cover developments in classical, conservation and augmentative biological control as well as the use of entomopathogenic fungi, viruses, nematodes and semiochemicals. The final parts of the book summarise current research on monitoring pesticide use as well as emerging classes of biopesticides. Edited by pioneers in IPM techniques, and including contributions from some of most eminent experts in the field, this will be a standard reference for the IPM research community, crop scientists, entomologists, companies involved in pesticides and crop pest management as well as government agencies monitoring and regulating pest management in agriculture.

Ecofriendly Pest Management for Food Security explores the broad range of opportunity and challenges afforded by Integrated Pest Management systems. The book focuses on the insect resistance that has developed as a result of pest control chemicals, and how new methods of environmentally complementary pest control can be used to suppress harmful organisms while protecting the soil, plants, and air around them. As the world's population continues its rapid increase, this book addresses the production of cereals, vegetables, fruits, and other foods and their subsequent demand increase. Traditional means of food crop production face proven limitations and increasing research is turning to alternative means of crop growth and protection. - Addresses environmentally focused pest control with specific attention to its role in food security and sustainability. - Includes a range of pest management methods, from natural enemies to biomolecules. - Written by experts with extensive real-world experience.

Discover a comprehensive and current overview of microbial bioprospecting written by leading voices in the field In Bioprospecting of Microorganism-Based Industrial Molecules, distinguished researchers and authors Sudhir P. Singh and Santosh Kumar Upadhyay deliver global perspectives of bioprospecting of biodiversity. The book covers diverse aspects of bioprospecting of microorganisms demonstrating biomass value of nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, biomedical, and bioenergetic importance. The authors present an amalgamation of translational research on bioresource utilization and ecological sustainability that will further the reader’s knowledge of the applications of different microbial diversity and reveal new avenues of research investigation. Readers will also benefit from: A thorough introduction to microbial biodiversity and bioprospecting An exploration of anti-ageing and skin lightening microbial products and microbial production of anti-cancerous biomolecules A treatment of UV protective compounds from algal biodiversity and polysaccharides from marine microalgal sources Discussions of microbial sources of insect toxic proteins and the role of microbes in bio-surfactants production Perfect for academics, scientists, researchers, graduate and post-graduate students working and studying in the areas of microbiology, food biotechnology, industrial microbiology, plant biotechnology, and microbial biotechnology, Bioprospecting of Microorganism-Based Industrial Molecules is an indispensable guide for anyone looking for a comprehensive overview of the subject.