Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins for Better Pest Control and Management
A special issue of Toxins (ISSN 2072-6651). This special issue belongs to the section "Bacterial Toxins".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2027 | Viewed by 211
Editor
Interests: Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins; biological pest control; crop protection
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and its insecticidal toxins are cornerstones of environmentally friendly pest management in modern agriculture. Cry, Cyt, and other Bt toxins exhibit high specificity against major lepidopteran, coleopteran, and dipteran pests while posing minimal risks to non-target organisms, natural enemies, and human health compared to synthetic chemical pesticides. However, the extensive use of Bt biopesticides and transgenic Bt crops has led to the gradual emergence of field-evolved pest resistance, which now represents a significant challenge for the long-term sustainability of Bt-based pest control strategies. For this Special Issue, we invite the submission of original research articles and comprehensive reviews that address diverse aspects of Bt toxins, including, but not limited to, the following:
Development and application of novel Bt products: Research on next-generation Bt crops and formulations, including AI-assisted toxin design, discovery of broad-spectrum and high-potency toxins, and the evaluation of insecticidal efficacy and biosafety in new crop varieties.
Integrated and synergistic pest control strategies: Approaches combining Bt toxins with complementary technologies such as RNA interference (RNAi), nano-carrier-based Bt delivery systems, and co-application with microbial agents, as well as biosafety assessments of these integrated strategies.
Bt–microbiome interactions: Investigations of synergistic or antagonistic interactions between Bt and insect or plant microbiomes, as well as the role of microbiomes in modulating pest susceptibility or resistance to Bt toxins.
Novel targets for resistance monitoring: Identification and characterization of the resistance mechanisms beyond the four established classes of midgut receptor mutations, including epigenetic regulation, transcriptional control, and novel gene-mediated pathways. This also includes the use of population genomics, gene editing, and related technologies to discover resistance-associated genes and the development of new molecular markers for field monitoring.
Long-term ecological impacts: Studies on the ecological consequences of sustained Bt use, including effects on insect phenology, natural enemies, non-target pests, microbial communities, and soil biota.
Dr. Hongsheng Pan
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins
- biosafety assessment
- integrated pest management
- synergistic technologies
- resistance mechanisms
- resistance monitoring
- Bt–microbiome interactions
- ecological impacts
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