BIOINSECTICIDES BASED ON BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS

Yuliia Tarasova
Faculty of Biomedical Engineering
National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”

Today, bioinsecticides are the most advanced solution for plant protection in
agriculture. In addition to biological means, humanity also uses physical and
chemical insecticides for pest control, but these options have their drawbacks in
comparison to bioinsecticides.
Physical ways to prevent attacks of pests are too irrational due to modern
advances in biotechnology. An example of a physical barrier to the spread of pests is
the collection of pests from plants by hand, which is almost pointless on a rural scale.
Chemical insecticides solve the problem of scale, but at the same time create other
new ones. The most important issue is their toxic effect on other living organisms,
including humans.
The usage of preparations based on Bacillus thuringiensis is the most common
method of protecting plants from harmful insects, which covers a wide range of pests
and can be applied to any plants (Melo et al., 2014).
Bioinsecticides are biological insecticides that contain living microorganisms,
their products of life, fungal spores or exotoxins designed to kill pests. We distinguish
substances depending on the drug in the basis of bioinsecticide which are:
• living organisms (they are also divided into preparations of substances based
on fungi, bacterial preparations, substances based on entomopathogenic nematodes);
• viruses;
• multicomponent;
• the products of microorganisms;
• plant extracts.
Bioinsecticides based on Bacillus thuringiensis is a bacterial preparation,
therefore its properties are directly dependent on this organism. Let’s take a more
specific look at the properties of Bacillus thuringiensis.
Bacillus thuringiensis is a species of gram-positive, spore-forming soil
bacteria. Cells and specific crystalline protein δ-endotoxin have an insecticidal effect
on the caterpillars of many insects (squamous and hard-winged), mosquito larvae,
midges, nematodes. A characteristic morphological feature is the presence of toxin
crystals in the cytoplasm, stained with aniline black dye (Wei et al., 2003).
Preparations based on Bacillus thuringiensis are insecticides with strong
intestinal action. When the leaves of plants enter the body of caterpillars (larvae), the
substance causes intestinal toxicosis in pests (suppression of the secretion of digestive
enzymes and intestinal dysfunction). Damage to the intestines initially disrupts the
caterpillar's ability to digest food and dooms the pest to starvation. The appetite of
insects decreases a few hours after the entering of the drug into the body of the pest.
Then the toxin activated in the intestine causes damage to the inner lining of the
intestine of the caterpillar, resulting in a violation of the osmotic balance, which leads
to the infiltration of the alkaline contents of the intestine into the cavity of the insect’s
body. Spores germinate, bacteria multiply in the body cavity, septicemia is formed,
resulting in the death of caterpillars, which occurs in 1-4 days.
Var. thuringiensis has entomocidal and ovicidal action.
Var. Kurstaki does not have such properties, but disrupts the course of normal
physiological processes in the older generations: causes the appearance of ugly
pupae, impairs the ability of adults to reproduce (Melo et al., 2014).
Thus, we summarize that bioinsecticides are a guarantee of clean ecological
products and, as a result, the health of all mankind. The use of such products does not
affect the ecological state of the environment and is not toxic to neighboring
organisms. It is the most rational option in pest control in both agricultural and
horticultural activities.

References:
1. Wei, J., Hale, K., Carta, L., Platzner, E., & Wong, C. (2003). Bacillus thuringiensis
crystal proteins that target nematode. PNAS, 100, 2760-2765.
2. Melo, A., Soccol, V. and Soccol, C. (2014). Bacillus thuringiensis: mechanism of
action, resistance, and new applications. Retrieved from
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25264571/