title: Pest management through Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in a tea-silkworm ecosystem: status and potential prospects.
abstract: Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a soil bacterium that forms spores containing crystals comprising one or more Cry or Cyt proteins having potential and specific insecticidal activity. Different strains of Bt produce different types of toxins, affecting a narrow taxonomic group of insects. Therefore, it is used in non-chemical pest management, including inherent pest resistance through GM crops. The specificity of action of Bt toxins reduces the concern of adverse effects on non-target species, a concern which remains with chemical insecticides as well. To make use of Bt more sustainable, new strains expressing novel toxins are actively being sought globally. Since Bt is successfully used against many pests including the lepidopteran pests in different crop groups, the insecticidal activity against Samia cynthia (Drury) (Eri silkworm) and Antheraea assamensis Helfer (Muga silkworm) becomes a concern in the state of Assam in India which is a predominantly tea- and silk-producing zone. Though Bt can be used as an effective non-chemical approach for pest management for tea pests in the same geographical region, yet, it may potentially affect the silk industry which depends on silkworm. There is a need to identify the potentially lethal impact (through evaluating their mortality potential) of local Bt strains on key silkworm species in North Eastern India. This will allow the use of existing Bt for which the silkworms have natural resistance. Through this review, the authors aim to highlight recent progress in the use of Bt and its insecticidal toxins in tea pest control and the potential sensitivity for tea- and silk-producing zone of Assam in India.
authors.affiliation: CABI South Asia-India, NASC Complex, PUSA, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Kavya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dashora
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Tocklai Tea Research Institute, Jorhat, Assam, 785008, India. somnathennto@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Somnath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: CABI South Asia-India, NASC Complex, PUSA, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Akanksha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagpal
authors.affiliation: CABI South Asia-India, NASC Complex, PUSA, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Sudipta Mukhopadhyay
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: CABI E-UK, Bakeham Lane, Egham, Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Flood
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Tocklai Tea Research Institute, Jorhat, Assam, 785008, India.
authors.forename: Anjali Km
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.affiliation: CABI South Asia-India, NASC Complex, PUSA, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Ravinder
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khetarpal
authors.affiliation: CABI, Nosworthy Way 7, Wallingford, UK.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neave
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Tocklai Tea Research Institute, Jorhat, Assam, 785008, India.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muraleedharan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001413:Bacillus thuringiensis / Q000378:metabolism*; D061046:Biological Control Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D012831:Bombyx / Q000382:microbiology*; D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D007194:India; D007306:Insecticides; D031625:Morus; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods*; D013662:Tea
chemical_list: D061046:Biological Control Agents; D007306:Insecticides; D013662:Tea
keywords: Assam; Bt; Non-chemical pest management; Silkworm; Tea plantations