Insect pathology is the study of disease in insects. The rationale behind the investigation of diseases that attack insect pests is that the causative organisms can be used as "natural insecticides" for controlling these pests without resorting to the use of toxic chemical insecticides. They are natural, specific and completely safe to man, domestic animals and crops. They are also harmless to other non-target insects such as bees, predators, parasitoids and other beneficial species. These pathogens can be mass produced using simple techniques that are appropriate for developing countries, thus enabling these countries to develop their own low-cost alternatives to expensive, imported and often environmentally-damaging chemical pesticides.

 

NRI has many years experience of developing microbial pesticides as practical tools for crop protection in developing countries. The work covers all aspects including: initial isolation, identification and evaluation of new potential pest pathogens in the laboratory; testing the efficacy of insect pathogens under laboratory and field conditions; and field testing of formulated microbial pesticides. Our insect pathologists play a major role in training researchers, extension workers and production staff in microbial pesticide technologies. They can also provide pathology expertise in support of activities that require the production of healthy insects, e.g. for research.

 

Key activities are:

• isolation, purification and identification of microbial insect pathogens, including use of the latest molecular diagnostic techniques
• production, formulation, bioassay and environmental assessment of insect pathogens and their suitability for use as pesticides
• field testing and application of microbial pesticides in developing countries in the tropics and elsewhere
• design and commissioning of microbial insecticide production facilities, including staff training
• developing registration, regulation and quality control procedures
• training students and researchers in microbial pesticide identification, assessment, production, quality control, formulation and field use
• assisting local companies to set up production, and to develop formulations and products.

Staff

David Grzywacz BSc FRES
Andrew Cherry PhD MSc
Mark Parnell MSc

Projects

Evaluate new biorational options for brassica pest control in Kenya (KARI; CAB International; HRI)

Commercialization of a viral biopesticide to control diamond back moth in Kenya (HRI; Dudutech Ltd, Kenya)

To develop and evaluate control strategies based upon local botanicals and endemic armyworm nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV), as alternatives to chemical insecticides for control of African armyworm in East Africa (Ministry of Agriculture, Tanzania; NERC; CEH Oxford; University of Stirling; USAID) (London Press Service article.)

Identification of new endemic pathogens for development by local industry as biocontrol agents for major crop pests in West Africa (IITA; CAB International)

Promotion of biopesticides as part of new integrated pest and disease management system for chickpea production by smallholder farmers in Nepal (Nepal Agricultural Research Council; ICRISAT)

Development of new biocontrol agent for control of potato tuber moths by poor farmers in Bolivia and Peru (CIP; PROINPA)

Study of biological control industries in Thailand to identify factors promoting local production of environmentally friendly crop protection inputs for poor farmers (Department of Agriculture, Thailand)

Development of NPV insecticides for control of Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera species in Thailand and India (Department of Agriculture, Thailand; Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India)

Study of the genetics and pathogenicity of East African strains of diamond back moth granulovirus (HRI; KARI).

Publications

Parnell, M., Oduor, G., Ong'aro, J., Grzywacz, D., Jones, K.A. and Brown, M. (2002) The strain variation and virulence of granulovirus of diamond back moth (Plutella xylostella) isolated in Kenya. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 79: 192-196.

Grzywacz, D., Parnell, M., Kibata, G., Oduor, G., Ogutu, W.O., Miano, D. and Winstanley, D. (2002) The development of endemic baculoviruses of Plutella xylostella (diamond back moth, DBM) for control of DBM in East Africa. In: Ridland, P. (ed.) The Management of Diamond Back Moth and other Cruciferous Pests, Proceedings of the Fourth International Workshop on Diamond Back Moth, Melbourne University. (In press.)

Hountondji, F.C.C., Lomer, C.J., Hanna, R., Cherry, A.J. and Dara, S.K. (2002) Field evaluation of Brazilian isolates of Neozygites floridana (Entomophthorales: Neozygitaceae) for microbial control of cassava green mites in Benin, West Africa. Biocontrol Science and Technology 12: 361-370.

Meikle, W.G., Cherry, A.J., Holst, N., Hounna, B. and Markham, R.H. (2001) The effects of an entomopathogenic fungus, Beauvaria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Hyphomycetes), on Prostephanus truncatus (Horn), Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky and grain losses in stored maize in Benin Republic. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 77: 198-205.

Jenkins, N.E., Dent, D. and Grzywacz, D. (2001) Registration and quality control of microbial pesticides. Pp. 141-162 in: Singh, S.P., Murphy, S.T. and Ballal, C.R. (eds) Augmentative Biocontrol. CABI Bioscience, Ascot, UK.

Grzywacz, D. (2001) Nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV): its potential in the control of the podborer (Helicoverpa armigera) on chickpea in Nepal. Pp. 94-99 in: Pande, S., Johanson, C., Stevenson, P.C. & Grzywacz, D. (eds) On Farm IPM of Chickpea in Nepal. ICRISAT, Pathancheru, India. ISBN 92-9066-438-X.

Langewald, J. and Cherry, A.J. (2000) Prospects for microbial control in West Africa. Biocontrol News and Information 21(2): 51N-56N.

Grzywacz, D. (2000) Control of insect pests with entomopathogenic viruses. Arab Journal of Plant Protection 18: 128-132.

Cherry, A.J., Rabindra, R.J., Parnell, M.A., Geetha, N., Kennedy J.S. and Grzywacz, D. (2000) Field evaluation of Helicoverpa armigera NPV formulations for control of the chickpea pod-borer, H. armigera (Hubn.), on chickpea (Cicer arietinum var Shoba) in southern India. Crop Protection 19: 51-60.

Jenkins, N.E. and Grzywacz, D. (2000) Quality control of fungal and biocontrol agents - assurance of product performance. Biocontrol Science and Technology 10: 753-777.

Parnell, M.A., King, W.J., Jones, K.A., Ketunuti, U. and Wetchakit, D. (1999) A comparison of motorised knapsack mistblower, medium volume application, and spinning disc, very low volume application of Helicoverpa armigera nuclear polyhedrosis virus on cotton in Thailand. Crop Protection 18: 259-265.

Rabindra, R.J., Geetha, N., Brown, M. and Grzywacz, D. (1999) Cross-infectivity of Anadevidia peponis nuclear polyhedrosis virus to some Lepidoptera. Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems 5: 79-81.

Cherry, A.J., Jenkins N.E., Heviefo, G., Bateman, R.G. and Lomer, C.J. (1999) Operational and economic analysis of a West African pilot scale production plant for aerial conidia of Metarhizium spp. for use as a mycoinsecticide against locusts and grasshoppers. Biocontrol Science and Technology 9: 35-51.

Cherry, A.J., Lomer, C.J., Djegui, D. and Schulthess, F. (1999) Pathogen incidence and their potential as microbial control agents in IPM of maize stemborers in West Africa. Biocontrol 44: 301-327.

Jones, K.A., Cherry, A., Grzywacz, D. and Zelazny, B. (1998) S.E. Asia and the Pacific. Pp. 244-257 in: Hunter-Fujita, F.R., Entwistle, P.F., Crook, N.E. and Evans, H.F. (eds) Insect Viruses and Pest Management. Wiley.

Grzywacz, D., Jones, K.A., McKinley, D. and Cherry, A. (1998) Optimisation of the in vivo production of Spodoptera littoralis nuclear polyhedrosis virus. Journal of Virological Methods 71: 115-122.

Jenkins, N.E., Heviefo, G., Langewald, J., Cherry, A.J. and Lomer, C.J. (1998) Development of mass production technology for aerial conidia for use as mycopesticides. Biocontrol News and Information 19: 21N-31N.

Rabindra, R.J., Geetha, N., Jayraj, S., Brown, M. and Grzywacz, D. (1998) Evaluation of the cross infectivity of some baculoviruses to Helicoverpa armigera. Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems 3(2): 61-65.

Cherry, A.J., Parnell, M.A., Grzywacz, D. and Jones, K.A. (1997) The optimization of in vivo nuclear polyhedrosis virus production in Spodoptera exempta (Walker) and Spodoptera exigua (Hubner). Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 70: 50-58.

Grzywacz, D., McKinley, D., Jones, K.A. & Moawad, G. (1997) Microbial contamination in Spodoptera littoralis nuclear polyhedrosis virus produced in insects in Egypt. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 69: 151-156.

Hunter-Fujita, F.R., Vasiljevic, S., Jones, K.A. and Cherry, A.J. (1997) Effects of mixed infections with GV and NPV on the biology of the Egyptian cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis. Pp. 271-278 in: BCPC Symposium Proceedings No. 68. British Crop Protection Council, Farnham, UK.

Jones, K.A., Cherry, A.J., Grzywacz, D. and Burges, H.D. (1997) Formulation: is it an excuse for poor application? Pp. 173-180 in: BCPC Symposium Proceedings No. 68. British Crop Protection Council, Farnham, UK.