Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-rkxrd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-20T20:17:04.496Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Assessment of the human and ecological hazards of microbial insecticides

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

K. A. Harrap
Affiliation:
NERC Institute of Virology, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SR

Summary

A comprehensive account is given of the evolution of registration guidelines and safety testing procedures for microbial insecticidal agents. Particular emphasis is given to the use of viruses for pest control and the various guidelines developed to assess their possible hazards. The likely gains and risks associated with using viruses are discussed. Several meetings have been held in the last 10 years to assess the hazards of virus insecticides. Some of these meetings have produced recommendations, some have developed guidelines for safety testing. These meetings are reviewed. The various guidelines developed for safety testing are critically evaluated and the UK Registration Criteria for Biological Agents used as Pesticides are reproduced in full. Examples of viruses that have been safety tested and registered for use are given and the criteria used are described. Conclusions are drawn on the merits of the guidelines presently available and the likely future development of safety testing schemes is considered.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Betz, F. S. (1981). Human safety evaluation for microbial pest control agents. Summary proceedings, Cotton Biological Control Conference, Dallas, Texas.Environmental Protection Agency,Washington DC.Google Scholar
Burges, H. D. (1981). Microbial Control of Pests and Plant Diseases 1970–1980. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Burges, H. D., Croizier, G. & Huber, J. (1980 a). A review of safety tests on baculoviruses. Entomophaga 25, 329–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burges, H. D., Huber, J. & Croizier, G. (1980 b). Guidelines for safety tests on insect viruses. Entomophaga 25, 341–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carey, D. & Harrap, K. A. (1980). Safety tests on the nuclear polyhedrosis viruses of Spodoptera litloralis and Spodoptera exempta. In Invertebrate Systems in Vitro (ed. Kurstak, E., Maramorosch, K. and Dubendorfer, A.), pp. 441450. Elsevier North Holland Biomedical Press, Amsterdam.Google Scholar
EEC (1980). Meeting of Group of Experts on Safety and Regulation of Biological Pesticides. Commission of the European Communities, Director-General for Agriculture: DGVI Directorate F – Division 4, Programme on integrated and biological pest control. Brussels.Google Scholar
EPA (1981). Guidelines for Registering Pesticides in the United States. Subpart M. Data requirements for biorational pesticides: preamble and guidelines. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington DC.Google Scholar
Falcon, L. A. (1978). Viruses as alternatives to chemical pesticides in the western hemisphere. In Viral Pesticides: Present Knowledge and Potential Effects on Public and Environmental Health (ed. Summers, M. D. and Kawanishi, C. Y.), pp. 1123. Myrtle Beach S.C. Environmental Protection Agency 600/9–78–026.Google Scholar
FAO (1978). Research on the control of the coconut palm rhinoceros beetle, phase II, Fiji, Tonga, Western Samoa. Technical Report 94 pp. Rome.Google Scholar
Gourreau, J.-M., Kaiser, C., Lahellec, M., Chevrier, L. & Monsarrat, P. (1979). Étude de l'action pathogène éventuelle du Baculovirus d'Oryctes pour le pore. Entomophaga 24, 213–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hascoet, M. & Hurpin, B. (1980). Proposed French registration guidelines for unconventional pesticides. In Environmental Protection and Biological Forms of Control of Pest Organisms (ed. Lundholm, B. and Stackerud, M.). Ecological Bulletins (Stockholm) 31, 145–54.Google Scholar
Ignoffo, C. M. (1975). Evaluation of in vivo specificity of insect viruses. In Baculoviruses for Insect Pest Control: Safety Considerations (ed. Summers, M., Engler, R., Falcon, L. A. and Vail, P. V.), pp. 5262. Washington DC: American Society for Microbiology.Google Scholar
Ignoffo, C. M. & Couch, T. L. (1981). The nucleopolyhedrosis virus of Heliothis species as a microbial insecticide. In Microbial Control of Pests and Plant Diseases 1970–1980 (ed.Burges, H. D.), pp. 329362. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Katagiri, K. (1981). Pest control by cytoplasmic polyhedrosis viruses. In Microbial Control of Pests and Plant Diseases 1970–1980 (ed. Burges, H. D.), pp. 433–40. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Lundholm, B. & Stackerud, M. (1980). Environmental Protection and Biological Forms of Control of Pest Organisms. Ecological Bulletins (Stockholm) No. 31. Swedish Natural Science Research Council.Google Scholar
MAFF (1980). Registration Criteria for Biological Agents used as Pesticides. Pesticides Safety Precautions Scheme, Appendix F. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, London.Google Scholar
Miltenburger, H. G. (1979). Safety aspects of baculoviruses as biological insecticides. Symposium proceedings. Bundesministerium für Forschung und Technologie, Bonn.Google Scholar
Papworth, D. S. (1980). Registration requirements in the UK for bacteria, fungi and viruses used as pesticides. In Environmental Protection and Biological Forms of Control for Pest Organisms (ed. Lundholm, B. and Stackerud, M.). Ecological Bulletins (Stockholm) 31, 135–43.Google Scholar
Rogoff, M. H. (1980). Testing requirements for registering biological pesticides in the United States – current status. In Environmental Protection and Biological Forms of Control of Pest Organisms (ed. Lundholm, B. and Stackerud, M.). Ecological Bulletins (Stockholm) 31, 135–43.Google Scholar
Summers, M. D. & Kawanishi, C. Y. (1978). Viral pesticides: present knowledge and potential effects on public and environmental health. Symposium proceedings, Myrtle Beach.US Environmental Protection Agency,Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.Google Scholar
Summers, M., Enoler, R., Falcon, L. A. & Vail, P. V. (1975). Baciloviruses for Insect Pest Control: Safety considerations. American Society for Microbiology, Washington DC.Google Scholar
Tinsley, T. W. (1978). Use of insect pathogenic viruses as pesticidal agents. In Perspectives in Virology vol. 10 (ed. Pollard, M.), pp. 199210. New York: Raven Press.Google Scholar
WHO (1973). The use of viruses for the control of insect pests and disease vectors. Report of a joint FAO/WHO Meeting on insect viruses. World Health Organization Technical Report Series No. 531. Geneva.Google Scholar
WHO (1980). Mammalian safety of microbial control agents for vector control. Report of an informal consultation. WHO/VBC/81.820. World Health Organization. Geneva.Google Scholar