Some of the most serious problems currently facing Crop Protection are the consequence of the indiscriminate and almost exclusive use which has been made of synthetic chemical insecticides. The development of insect biotypes resistant to these insecticides and the build-up of toxic waste in soil, water and harvested produce are some of the better-known effects and have led to growing public concern for the repercussions which such a situation may have on human health and the quality of the environment. The need, therefore, to develop pest-control measures capable of catering for both the development of sustainable agriculture and the conservation of the environment has become a matter of urgency. One of the most realistic and promising alternatives is the development of bioinsecticides based on entomopathogenic microorganisms and viruses.
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