CHEAP eco-friendly alternatives to pesticides are much needed and greatly to be encouraged. I asked Gareth Thomas, junior minister for international development, for his views on recent biopesticide research at the University of Greenwich (Â鶹´«Ã½, 13 December 2003, p 12). Its aim is to control plagues of the African army worm caterpillar in countries such as Tanzania through the use of nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPVs).
Thomas replied that the UK is actively engaged on NPV research, to the tune of £1 million so far, with countries such as Thailand, India and Kenya as its partners. The lead organisation on…
