MODERN SNIPER FIRE -- AGAINST INSECTS 

"In ancient societies in India, Egypt, Central and South America, it was common field practice to remove dead insects found among vegetation, pulverize the carcasses, and distribute the remains among cultivated row crops. While they did not realize it, these early farmers were using virus insecticides" so says the latest report from Crop Genetics International, one of the companies leading the way into "sniper fire", attempts to control devastating insect depredations while minimizing environmental damage.

Crop Genetics have been searching for a more scientific and selective way to turn that ancient knowledge into modern science. The insects those early farmers gathered had died from viral disease and the carcasses still contained viable viruses able to attack and control ensuring generations of the same insects. Today's problem: how to reproduce this effect into a standardized treatment for many.

Known as IVPs (Insecticidal Virus Products), these virus products have many advantages in the control of agricultural and forest insect pests. While more than 1,600 insect species are susceptible to IVPs, an IVP will generally replicate only in the target insect or a narrow range of insect species. Thus they are "highly selective and pose no threat to crops, wildlife, humans or other insects". Even insect predators and beneficial insects are unharmed by the action of targeted IVP, according to Crop Genetics, and they are non-polluting, since water, soil, sunlight and other environmental forces all work to rapidly degrade their bioactivity.

The actual process of how this insect control works is fascinating and complicated but it does work, and progress in this field is moving rapidly. It will allow farmers to produce better crops, with less crop damage. Retail prices will become more stable, and the environment in general will improve.

More information: Dr. Peter Carlson, Chief Scientific Officer, Crop Genetics Intl., 7170 Standard Drive, Hanover, Maryland 21076-1334. Phone: 410/712-7170.

* * *

< previous | chapter index | next >
back to Main Chapter Listing
back to Home Page