The characteristics of Baculoviruses are:
(A) They are used as biological control agents.
(B) They are excellent candidates for species-specific, narrow spectrum insecticidal application.
(C) They are excellent candidates for species-specific, broad spectrum insecticidal application.
(D) No negative impacts on plants, animals, birds, fishes and other non-targeted insects.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → (A), (B) and (D) only
(A) They are used as biological control agents. — Correct. Baculoviruses attack insects and other arthropods, so they are used to control pests.
(B) They are excellent candidates for species-specific, narrow spectrum insecticidal application. — Correct. Each kind attacks only one or a few insect species.
(C) They are excellent candidates for species-specific, broad spectrum insecticidal application. — Incorrect. ‘Species-specific’ and ‘broad spectrum’ contradict each other. Baculoviruses are narrow spectrum; one word changed makes this false.
(D) No negative impacts on plants, animals, birds, fishes and other non-targeted insects. — Correct. They harm nothing but the target insect, which helps conserve useful insects.
NCERT Extract:
Microbes as Biocontrol Agents – …
