Overcoming Pesticide Resistance
January 25, 2008| |
When it comes to the growing problem of insecticide resistance, evolution has a lot to answer for. A review article published by UK’s Biotechnology and Biological Research Council (BBSRC) highlights the current researches in overcoming pesticide resistance.
Scientists from the Rothamsted Research in UK developed an efficient, DNA based test to differentiate the two biotypes of whitefly Bemisia tabaci, the insect responsible for transmitting viruses that cause the African cassava mosaic, bean golden mosaic and tomato mottle among other diseases. The two types of whitefly coexist in many crop-producing areas. Managing them through pesticide is difficult since they have a different resistance profile.
A scientist from the University of Liverpool is investigating a novel compound called Pyridalyl, which produces unique insecticidal symptoms against lepidopteran pests. Researchers from the University of Oxford, on the other hand, are turning their attention to a family of enzymes called cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs). These enzymes function to breakdown cellular metabolites and foreign compounds. The expression of the genes coding for this enzyme family were found to increase in pesticide resistant insects. Understanding the relationship of CYPs to insect resistance can lead to the development of more effective pest management systems.
Read the BBSRC magazine at http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/publications/corporate/magazine/2008/0801_business.pdf
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