An Ecologically Acceptable Strategy for the Use of Genetically Engineered Baculovirus Pesticides

The basis for the first U. S. Environmental Protection Agency approval for the field release of a genetically-engineered virus has been to take advantage of the biological properties of baculovirus in such a way that an engineered virus could possess enhanced pesticidal properties but, at the same time. would pose no environmental or health hazards. The ultimate goal of these investigations is to reduce the agricultural requirement for synthetic chemical pesticides through the development of viral pesticides with enhanced pesticidal properties.