Insect pathology

Insect pathology is the study of disease in insects. The rationale behind the investigation of diseases that attack insect pests is that the causative organisms can be used as "natural insecticides" for controlling these pests without resorting to the use of toxic chemical insecticides. They are natural, specific and completely safe to man, domestic animals and crops. They are also harmless to other non-target insects such as bees, predators, parasitoids and other beneficial species. These pathogens can be mass produced using simple techniques that are appropriate for developing countries, thus enabling these countries to develop their own low-cost alternatives to expensive, imported and often environmentally-damaging chemical pesticides