The Development of Bioinsecticide in Controlling Insect Pests of Estate Crops

Abstract

The mainstay of the Indonesian economy i s agriculture. The major estate crops in Indonesia are oil palm, rubber, coconut, cocoa, cofee, tea and pepper. Insect pests of various types may attack these crops causing significant economic loss. Chemical pesticides have been used extensively to reduce damage from insect pests, but they have also created serious problems such as environmental pollution, chemical residues, and development of resistance in insect population leading to resurgence of both target and non-target pests. The group of microorganisms pathogenic for insects i s varled and diverse. Among these are a broad range of viruses, bacteria, protozoa and fungi. Each of these groups i s composed of a spectrum of organisms that vary in their mode of infection, site of replication, and mechanisms of pathogenicity. Among the bacteria, the spore-forming bacilli, Bacillus thuringiensis is one of the most promising potential agent for use in the management of insect population. B. thuringiensis produces characteristic proteinaceous parasporal inclusions in sporulating cells. This parasporal inclusion i s also known as delta-endotoxin which is highly toxic to insects in several orders of Lepidoptera, Diptera and Coleoptera. Although toxic to insect pests, the toxin is harmless to non-target invertebrates, vertebrates and plants.