BT-BASED BIOPESTICIDE FOR INSECT AND NEMATODE CONTROL

PestoBAC™ Methyl bromide is one of the top five most widely used pesticides in the world today. However, methyl bromide will be phased out in developed countries around the world because the gas is destroying the ozone layer at a rate fifty times faster than chlorofluorocarbons . Unless viable alternatives to methyl bromide are found, US farmers and users in other developed countries will be at a disadvantage when competing with agricultural products from developing countries where methyl bromide will continue to be available for several years after the US phase-out. In this regard, BTI’s Bt-based pesticide PestoBAC™ is a powerful alternative to methyl bromide because it has the capacity to control a number of pests, including nematodes.

BTI's new Bt strain: BTI owns a recently discovered strain of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) with the ability to kill a wide range of pests. The new strain is toxic to three orders of insects: Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Diptera as well as to certain citrus and nodule-forming nematodes. Genetic analysis reveals the presence of atleast 15 different pesticidal proteins. The new Bt strain is unique among all other Bt's described because it harbors such a large number of genes that encode a broad range of insecticidal and nematicidal activities.

BTI Biopesticides: