Glossary

Send

Baculoviruses

Group of viruses that can infect and kill insects

Baculoviruses are used as biological pest control. Baculoviruses are only useful during specific stages of insect development. They are not effective if released at the wrong time.

Genetic engineering may be used to modify these viruses to make them effective over a longer period of time. But because the release of genetically modified viruses is clearly problematic, changes made to viral genomes will not target any new traits for the time being. Rather, the changes will simply allow them to be identified and monitered in the environment.

Additionally, baculovirus DNA can be used as a cloning vector.