Toxicological Prospects on Joint Action of Microbial Insecticides and Chemical Pesticides

Abstract

Microbial insecticides or entomopathogens are effective and eco-friendly insect pest management options. But slow mode of action and lack of a visual pest control, as expected by a farmer, mostly limits their wide commercial usage. The present day regular and high incidences of insect pests, due to intensive monocultures, warrant inevitable use of high doses of chemical pesticides. However, their judicious application depends on the diverse environmental threats associated. So, deployment of both entomopathogenic microbes and chemical pesticides together is considered to reduce the risk to the environment. Various studies also reported more efficient synergistic interactions in combined use than for independent applications. Synergism has the ability to reduce the pesticide doses. Most importantly, the combined application due to synergism can effectively tackles the pest problem and also helps in establishment of an entomopathogen in a given ecosystem. Once established, the entomopathogens can effectively manage the pest population build up in an eco-friendly manner, and over the years they can evade the use of pesticides or, if not so, reduce their dosage. The present chapter critically discusses possible synergism between entomopathogens and chemical pesticides and the present status of pest management achieved through this approach, in the context of latest research findings.