ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Comparison of Activity and Persistence
of Microbial Insecticides Based on Bacillus
thuringiensis israelensis and Bacillus sphaericus
in Organicly Polluted Mosquito-Breeding Sites
Katarzyna Rydzanicz1, Maciej Sobczyński3, Katarzyna Guz-Regner1
More details
Hide details
1Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, Department of Microbial
Ecology and Environmental Protection,
2Department of Genomics, Faculty of Biotechnology,
3Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, Department of Microbiology,
University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2010;19(6):1317-1323
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Environmental factors can influence the effectiveness of microbial insecticides based on spores and
crystal proteins of Bacilus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) and B. sphaericus (Bs) in mosquito control programs.
The impact of water quality and sunlight on the activity and persistence of commercially available microbial
larvicidal formulations based on Bti and Bs was investigated within irrigation fields in the Wrocław area.
Bioassays were conducted in field- and semi-field conditions using Ochlerotatus caspius [Pallas] larvae. The
survey on the persistence of Bti and Bs strains after the application of microbial insecticides based on Bti and
Bs was carried out by isolating both bacilli strains from the sediment found in sewage channels. The results
showed different activity patterns in larval mortality, but no significant differences between dosages after both
biocides application. It was observed that natural sunlight decreases the effectiveness of Bti and Bs. The modeling
of the Oc. caspius larvae survival data after Bti application showed a substantial difference between the
proportion of mosquito larvae mortality and survival rate in sunlit and shaded conditions. In sunlit conditions,
the activity of Bs was also reduced, but the mortality effect demonstrated significant interaction between time
and exposure habitats. The presence of bacilli in sewage channels showed their occurrence in sediment.
However, the great number of Bti and Bs strains among the total spore-forming bacilli in environmental samples
was insignificant, ranging from 3.5% to 6.1%.