41st Annual Meeting of the Society for Invertebrate Pathology
and 9th International Conference on Bacillus thuringiensis

Advancements in production efficiency, formulation stability, quality control, field efficacy and application strategies of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) contributed for their global widely usage in the IPM programs of a wide range of crops, including vegetables, tree fruits and vines. The market for Bt products is approximately US$160 million, which represent approximately 60% of the total microbial insecticides and 1.5% of the total crop protection insecticides market. The annual growth rate of microbial insecticides from 1980 to 2004 has been ranging from 8.0% to 10.0% and is projected to be 10.0% in 2009. For the same period, the annual growth of chemical pesticides has been ranging from – 2.3% to 2.2% and is projected to be 0.75% in 2009. The market potential for Bt products will likely increase in the next few years due to the following: The demand of the regulatory agencies and the general public for safer produce and for products with no detrimental effect to the environment. High probabilities of insect resistance developing against reduced-risk insecticides. An increase in the awareness of the growers, distributors and farm advisors about the benefits and the flexibility of including Bt products in insect management programs. The producers of Bt products are positioning their products as partners and not as alternatives to chemical insecticides.