Viruses as Biocontrol Agents
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Author’s Note
Introduction
The mentioning of a virus triggers different thoughts based on the audience. Viruses are known to cause health scares despite the fact that they are also used as biocontrol agents. A biocontrol agent is an agent that helps to deal with a specific issue despite the fact that it can also be used to cause harm. In layman’s language, this is the use of a disease to treat another disease. Different factors motivate or affect the use of viruses as biocontrol agents. One of the factors is the superiority of a virus. The virus that is used must be superior, and this is due to the fact that it is expected to present positive solutions. An inferior virus is likely not to work on a superior virus. Also, the type of issue in place is a factor to consider when using a virus. It is important to note that despite the fact that a virus can be used to deal with a condition, not all viruses are applicable. In the case that an expert uses the wrong virus to address an issue, the results are likely to be negative and not positive. The review will be investigating the use of viruses as biocontrol agents and the considerations that experts should make before they can employ the strategy.
The application Viruses as Biocontrol Agents in different areas
- Insect Viruses and their use for microbial pest control
Researchers have paid a lot of attention to humans and the way they use viruses to deal with other conditions (Kachhawa, 2017). However, there is still minimal research that is available about the application of the same strategy in the control of pests. It is important to remember that a virus is diverse, and that is why it stands as one of the biggest issues in the healthcare sector (Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). Some of the viruses do not heal, and that makes them suitable when dealing with other viruses. A virus can ail a human, a plant, or an animal.
Some of the insects have viruses that are strong and a danger to others. It is at this point where the application of the biocontrol strategy comes in place (Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). Insects with the virus might be facing a health challenge, but the biological innovations and advancements that have been made have helped to use the weaknesses of some of the insects to provide a solution to a greater problem (Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). The issue of pest control is not new in the global community, and it has affected many nations. A good example is a current attack on plantations and farms in some parts of Africa. Desert locusts have invaded most of the farms, and dealing with the locusts has become an issue. Most of the experts have been trying to come up with pesticides, but this seems to be a challenge that will be hard for them (Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). In such a case, the use of viruses as biocontrol agents is highly embraced. The reason behind it is that it comes in place to provide an intervention where there are no working intentions.
One of the areas of concern when it comes to insect raids is multiplication. Insects are different when compared to animals because it takes a short time to reproduce (Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). When an organism takes a shorter time to reproduce, it means that it will be in large numbers within the shortest time possible (Kachhawa, 2017). There is a close connection between the growth of an organism and its cells. The division and multiplication of cells foster a faster growth that might end up having adverse effects on plants. The utilization of viruses as biocontrol agents affects the cells directly. It is essential to realize that the cell is the major host of a virus (Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). When the virus is administered, it affects the functions of the cells, and one of the functions is the growth and multiplication of cells. The best way to deal with pests is by suppressing their population. The use of viruses as biocontrol agents comes in place to help in suppressing the population by frustrating the growth and multiplication of the pests.
Figure 1
Figure 1 is a visual demonstration of how biocontrol agents work. The figure helps to illustrate the complexity of the process as well as the effectiveness of the process.
Advantages of Viruses as Biocontrol Agents
- The approach is natural
In the healthcare sector, debates on the effects of natural interventions and chemical interventions are still taking place (Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). There is an assumption that naturally designed interventions have higher chances of working when compared to chemically designed interventions (Kachhawa, 2017). For example, the use of herbal medicine and plants as interventions has been highly embraced. The reason behind it is associated with the fact that natural products have lesser side effects as opposed to chemically designed products. A virus is natural, and that means that its effects are likely to be dire. Also, it does not introduce strange chemicals to the body (Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). Therefore, it is one of the safest ways of dealing with other viruses. The well-being of a human is essential when administering care, and when the care administered is natural and safe, it becomes the best way to go (Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019).
- The effects are immense.
Researchers and experts continue to praise the use of viruses as biocontrol agents because of the effects they have on the targeted agents (Kachhawa, 2017). A virus is dangerous, and this has been seen in the way it has been giving experts sleepless nights. For example, HIV is a virus that has given professionals a hard time for many years. Even though professionals have been working round the clock to find a solution to the virus, there is none found (Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). The only way to deal with the issue is by introducing a drug that reduces the severity of the virus as opposed to eradicating the virus once and for all. The nature of resilience that is demonstrated by a virus when it is affecting the body of a human or an animal is the same nature of resilience that is demonstrated when the virus is used as a biocontrol agent(Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019).
The use of viruses as biocontrol agents is effective, and that is why some of the experts call this one of the best ways of dealing with health issues (Kachhawa, 2017). A virus affects the host significantly. In healthcare, the need to heal is essential, and that cannot be doubted. Some of the drugs and interventions that are harsh on illnesses are highly utilized and respected. The same case applies to the use of a virus as a biocontrol agent(Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). When the virus is used as a biocontrol agent, it is harsh on the host-virus. The results are admirable because the host-virus is destroyed.
The use of a virus as a biocontrol agent is different from the use of drugs, and that is why it is highly regarding. When using a normal drug, there are processes that have to take place for the drug to work (Kachhawa, 2017). However, when using a virus, it directly targets the issue at hand and deals with the issue at once. The administered virus resides with the host, and that means that the host-virus will never get a chance to resurrect and affect the plant, insect, animal, or human. The case is different from that of a drug(Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). A drug runs out because it is made of chemicals. The components of the drug are easily washed away through excretion and multiplication of the cells. A virus penetrates deep into the cell, and that means that it will never stop affecting the host until the host has surrendered (Kachhawa, 2017). With this in mind, it is no doubt that the use of viruses as a biocontrol agent is highly effective when compared to other interventions and drugs.
- The design of a virus
A virus is dangerous because of the way it is designed. A virus affects the major processes of an animal, plant, or human. The reason why there is no cure for most of the viruses is that a virus is designed to destroy (Kachhawa, 2017). The chances of being effective are high in a virus. When the chances of effectiveness are high, it becomes advisable and better to use the intervention. A virus leaves nothing to chance, and that means that its use as a biocontrol agent is highly advised and embraced.
Figure 2
- The innovation does not affect the environment.
The environment is important, especially when it comes to farming. The environment has the power to increase yield, and at the same time, it has the power to decrease yield (Kachhawa, 2017). However, there are different factors that affect the environment. In the case of plants, pesticides are highly used to deal with pests. In the process of administering the intervention, there is the challenge of chemicals that are used to manufacture the pesticides. The chemicals affect the environment in numerous ways. For example, the chemicals affect the plants, and they might leave plants unsafe for human consumption (Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). Apart from affecting the plants, the chemicals affect the soil. When the soil is affected, it is unable to produce healthy plants.
Viruses that are used as biocontrol agents are directly administered to the plant. Some of them are natural, and that means that they cannot have an impact on the environment (Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). Viruses are designed uniquely, and this is seen in the way they work and affect people and humans. For example, a virus that is hosted by an animal might not be effective on a plant. This means that even if the virus is introduced to the soil during the administration, it will not have an impact on the soil (Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). This means that the environment is safer when viruses are used as opposed to when other chemicals are used (Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019).
- The solution to sustainable methods of increasing production
The world has grown into a global village, and that has affected many things. The demand for safe foods is high, given the fact that the population has been increasing at an alarming rate(Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). Pests have been affecting foods and plants, and this has been causing scare across the world (Kachhawa, 2017). In the United Kingdom and other nations in Europe, there are a lot of bans that are associated with pesticides and insecticides that are used on the farm. Some of the products that are used to promote the safety of plants have a lot of chemicals that are not healthy for human consumption (Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). It, therefore, means that the use of such chemicals affects the safety of plants and foods adversely (Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). The information helps to realize that the use of pesticides might not be a sustainable strategy to deal with the issue of food safety.
Figure 3
Figure 3 is a demonstration of the diversity of using viruses as biocontrol agents. The figure sums up all factors that are associated with the use of viruses as biocontrol agents. The figure focuses on disease as well as environmental effects that come along with the use of viruses as biocontrol agents all over the world.
The use of viruses as biocontrol agents has been termed to be one of the most sustainable methods of increasing the production of healthy foods (Kachhawa, 2017). Viruses have no chemicals, and that means that they do not expose the users of the foods to any risk. Viruses are strong to the extent of not allowing the pests to survive(Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019). Pests affect the safety and production of foods. Considering the fact that the viruses come in place to deal with the threat of pests once and for all, they help to increase the production of foods(Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019).
- Presentation of an alternative
In any field, there is a dire need to have alternatives in place. Having alternatives helps not to rely on one intervention for a long time. One of the advantages of having viruses as biocontrol agents is that they come in place as alternatives to other traditional methods that have been used to deal with the problem at hand (Kachhawa, 2017). Having an alternative has an impact on the sector of agriculture or healthcare. The overreliance on one intervention might affect the effectiveness of the intervention. Also, it is a risk because, in the case that the risk reshapes, it will end up getting the population by surprise. For example, when pesticides are the only interventions that are trusted to deal with the issue of pests, the lack of pesticides would mean that there is no other intervention (Kachhawa, 2017). In the case that the pesticide became weak, and there were no alternatives, it would be hard to deal with the issue of pests. However, when there is an alternative, in the case of failure, the alternative comes in place to boost success(Sehrawat & Sindhu, 2019).
Conclusion
The world of science has been advancing at a high rate, and the benefits have been seen in many parts of the world. The healthcare sector is one of the areas of science that have been affected by changes that are taking place. The use of viruses as biocontrol agents is starting to earn respect across the world. The review has focused on different areas of the use of viruses as biocontrol agents. One of the areas that the research has paid attention to is controlling pests. The use of viruses to control pests has proven to have different advantages. The advantages affect the plants that host the virus and the environment.
The use of viruses as biocontrol agents does not affect the environment, and that means that it is important and useful. Apart from the aspect of the environment, the research has helped to understand why it is important to use viruses. A virus is dangerous when it is in the body of a person or cells of an animal. Interestingly, a virus is dangerous when used as an intervention the same way it is a danger when used as a biocontrol agent. Based on the research that has been conducted, the world is moving to a new era. The next era will help the global population start utilizing biological means to deal with issues that affect the production of crops.
The main advantage that is associated with the use of viruses as biocontrol agents is that a virus is diverse. In the life of a human, there is the danger of a virus. The virus can be re-engineered to become an intervention in a given issue. The fact that the virus specifically targets the cells means that it can be used to deal with an issue at hand without affecting the environment. Given the fact that the world has been dealing with the issue of the environment, it becomes important to use interventions that do not have an impact on the environment. Apart from humans, it is important to note that plants and animals are also vulnerable to viruses. In this case, it means that the intervention or rather, the strategy is effective when it comes to animals and plants. The world has been advocating for the production of safe foods. The use of viruses as biocontrol agents helps.
References
Kachhawa, D. (2017). Microorganisms as a biopesticides. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies, 5(3), 468-473.
Sehrawat, A., & Sindhu, S. S. (2019). Potential of biocontrol agents in plant disease control for improving food safety. Def Life Sci J, 4(4), 220-225.