Natural occurrence and dispersal of Bacillus thuringiensis in the environment

Abstract

“Although Bacillus thuringiensis is widely used to control insect pests, the environmental fate of B. thuringiensis is known only in relatively general terms. Until recently, environmental studies looking at the natural distribution and life cycle of this bacterium were conducted only infrequently” [34]. Accordingly, very little is known about the natural transmission and behaviour of B. thuringiensis, even though the bacterium has been isolated from a variety of habitats, ranging from soil, phylloplane, and insects to consumables through-out the world. This chapter gives a review of the occurrence and fate of B. thuringiensis in different environments, along with a discussion of the epizootiology of B. thuringiensis.