Insecticidal Activity ofBacillus thuringiensisStrains Isolated from Soil and Water

Abstract

We attempted to search novelBacillus thuringiensisstrains that produce crystals with potential utility in plant protection and with higher activity than strains already used in biopesticide production. SevenB. thuringiensissoil and water isolates were used in the research. We predicted the toxicity of their crystals bycrygene identification employing PCR method. The isolate MPU B63 with interesting, according to us, genes content was used in evaluating its crystal toxicity againstCydia pomonellacaterpillars. The strain MPU B63 was cultured from water sample and hadcry1Ab,cry1B, andcry15genes. The LC50crystals of MPU B63 were compared to LC50of commercial bioinsecticide Foray determined againstC. pomonella(codling moth). The activity of MPU B63 inclusions against codling moth larvae was approximately 24-fold higher than that of Foray. The results are a promising introduction for further study evaluating the potential usefulness of isolate MPU B63 crystals in plant protection.