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Microbiological Insecticides on the Basis of Bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis

B. Zamola


Ministarstvo gospodarstva, Avenija Vukovar 78, 41000 Zagreb

Article history:

Received September 14,1993

Accepted December 30,1993

Summary:

The historical survey of Bacillus thuringiensis, as a source of bioinseticidal preparations is the topic of this paper. The first preparations were used against different species of Lepidoptera. As soon as the new serotypes of the basic organism were discovered, the spectrum of parasites was expanded. Exotoxin, used against houseflies, appeared as a product of some serotypes. New possibilities of killing the malaria carrier were discovered with another serotype (B. thuringiensis var. israelensis), 16 years ago. Subspecies of tenebrionis, a very good killer of potato beetle, was discovered in 1986. Active ingredients of bioinscticidal preparations are mostly spores capable of sprouting and an endotoxin usually appearing as relatively large protein crystals which almost completely fill the spine.