CBSE Class 12-science Answered

(a) Baculoviruses are excellent candidates for integrated pest management in an ecologically sensitive area because:

(i) Baculoviruses are biological control agents. They are an excellent source for species-specific, narrow-spectrum insecticidal applications.

(ii) They have no negative effect on plants, mammals or even on non-target insects.

(b) The use of biofertilisers and biopesticides to improve crop yields to minimise the problems associated with the overuse of chemical fertilisers is known as organic farming.

It is advisable to switch to organic farming due to the following reasons:

(i) Excessive use of chemical fertilisers makes the soil unfit for cultivation.

(ii) Natural resources get depleted due to the production of chemical fertilisers.