The Perspective Properties and Directions of Bacillus thuringiensis Use for Plant Protection

Abstract

Abstract: One of the urgent problems of plant protection from pests and diseases is the creation of environmentally safe biocontrol agents whose use would not be accompanied by the resistance of insect pests. Microorganisms have a great potential in this regard. The most promising group are endophytes, which inhabit the internal tissues of plants and are involved in the formation of the phenotype of plants. Bacteria of the genus Bacillus are of particular interest due to their wide distribution in nature, the safety of many species for humans, and the relative ease with which biocontrol means based on Bacillus sp. can be obtained. The review considers the properties of B. thuringiensis as follows: endophytic, insecticidal, and antibiotic activity; production of growth regulators and mobilization of plant nutrients; resistance induction; and the possibility of constructing new strains using genetic engineering methods.