Long lasting persistence of Bacillus thuringiensis Subsp. israelensis (Bti) in mosquito natural habitats.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The detrimental effects of chemical insecticides on the environment and human health have lead to the call for biological alternatives. Today, one of the most promising solutions is the use of spray formulations based on Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) in insect control programs. As a result, the amounts of Bti spread in the environment are expected to increase worldwide, whilst the common belief that commercial Bti is easily cleared from the ecosystem has not yet been clearly established.

Methodology/main findings

In this study, we aimed to determine the nature and origin of the high toxicity toward mosquito larvae found in decaying leaf litter collected in several natural mosquito breeding sites in the Rhône-Alpes region. From the toxic fraction

SUBMITTER: Tilquin M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2563433 | biostudies-literature | 2008

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature