INDUSTRIALIZATION

The term “industrialization” considered as a factor affecting the success of a microbial insecticide covers a broad area. It refers to that area in the development of a microbial pesticide that lies between discovery of a potential microbial pest control agent at the laboratory bench and the delivery of that agent as a commercial microbial insecticide product to a grower. Industrialization may begin at any point along the way, depending on the source of the potential agent, but for all practical purposes, industry must be prepared to cover all phases from research to sales of a product. This discussion is restricted to consideration of industrialization of microbial insecticides. For the purposes of this discussion, we will define the microbial insecticide broadly as a preparation containing a viable microbial entity intended for use as a selective pesticide, primarily for control of a given target insect. Such a broad definition will still serve to differentiate the microbials from selective chemical pesticides, including hormones, pheremones, and their analogs. In this discussion, the considered goal of all agencies involved in microbial insecticide efforts, whether academic, governmental, or industrial, is to provide the best means for control of a given insect possible, and these means should be ideally nonpolluting, safe, and effective, with minimum impact on the associated ecosystems to which they are applied.