Vectoguard (Bacillus thuringiensis var Israelensis)

Protein formation:Bt-I is a stomach toxin. It can produce five different microscopic protein pro-toxins that are packaged into a protein container or a crystal. The crystal form of the toxin is referred to as delta-endotoxin. If the endotoxin is ingested, the five proteins are released into the alkaline environment inside the insect's gut. The toxins work alone or together to break down the gut wall. This leads to paralysis and eventually death for the mosquito larva.

Bt I strains have pBtoxis plasmid which encodes numerous Cry and Cyt toxins, including Cry4, Cry10, Cry11, Cyt1 and Cyt2. The crystal aggregation which these toxins form contains at least four major toxic components but the extent to which each Cry and Cyt protein is represented is not known and likely to vary with strain and formulation. Both Cry and Cyt proteins are pore forming toxins which lyse midgut epithelial cells by inserting into the target cell membrane and forming pores and thereby killing the mosquito larvae.

• VectoGuardeffectively controls most of the mosquito larvae : Culex , Anopheles and Aedes spp
• VectoGuardcan be used as an effective component in Integrated Mosquito Management programmes, thereby leading to a reduction in use of chemical pesticides and creating a safer environment.