Assessing the risks of releasing genetically modified virus insecticides: progress to date (original) (raw)
Insect baculoviruses have been genetically modi"ed to improve their speed of kill. Whilst these viruses show considerable promise for improving crop protection, any risks that might be attached to their wide-scale release need to be assessed. The potential hazards of releasing genetically modi"ed baculoviruses are (i) negative e!ects on susceptible non-target species, and (ii) movement of the introduced gene. One approach to risk assessment is to estimate the relative "tness of the genetically modi"ed virus as compared to the wild type. Initial laboratory and "eld experiments have shown that both productivity and transmission are signi"cantly reduced in baculoviruses which express insect-selective toxins. This indicates that these viruses are likely to be less "t than the parent wild type. However, further information is needed on whether genetic modi"cation alters baculovirus persistence and how baculoviruses behave in less susceptible species and species with di!erent life history strategies.
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