NEW DELHI: An Indian biologist in the United States has inserted a scorpion gene into a virus to create a genetically engineered version of the virus that quickly kills crop-destroying insects.
Working with his American colleagues Dr.V.P.Choudary director of the antibody engineering laboratory at the University of California Davis sewed up the scorpion toxin gene in the genetic structure of the butterfly virus.
The engineered viruses are able to kill pests thrice as fast as the non-engineered viruses said Dr.Choudary till recently a professor of biotechnology at the Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi.
Following refinements and successful field trials the bio pesticides are now ready to tackle pests damaging major” crops including cotton cabbage tobacco and tomato in India and’ elsewhere he said
Dr.Choudary said the development of this bio pesticide had” generated considerable enthusiasm in financial circles about its commercial potential and impact on crop growth.
Two research teams one in the U.S. and the other in the U.K combined the scorpion venom gene with the genetic material of the virus. A third group _ added a mite toxin gene toxins increased the virus’s lethal potential he said.
The butterfly virus belongs to a class of viruses called baculoviruses which are A search for fast-acting baculoviruses has been Way because early trials had shown that non-genetically Coincided viruses take a long lime to destroy insects by which the irreparable damage is done to the crops.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 20, 1991
