João Joaquim (University of Cambridge), will present on his work ‘Insect viruses as biocontrol agents in mid-twentieth century Britain’, followed by a discussion.
Here is the abstract:
This talk will examine the tentative use of viruses as biocontrol agents against insect pests in the UK during the 1950s/1960s. This is done through a focus on the research conducted by Kenneth M. Smith (1892-1981), a British virologist who was among those pioneering the study of insect viruses. Smith was recognised as an authority in this field and worked at highly reputed institutions. Yet, he failed in having viral biocontrol of insect pests adopted on a large scale. This failure is discussed in the context of post-war agroeconomic trends.
Relying on his entomological knowledge and connections in the insect breeding industry, Smith put together a specialised team and managed to conduct several successful trials in the industrial, agricultural, and forestry sectors. However, viral biocontrol methods were never adopted on a large scale and, by the late 1960s, interest in the topic seemed to have largely fizzled out. Ultimately, this paper questions what direction the use of these methods would have taken if the availability and convenience of chemical pesticides had not sidelined them. Furthermore, by examining Smith’s work, one glimpses a different side of virus research, where agricultural concerns shaped developments and where practices, techniques, and methods were solidly anchored in experimental biology and other knowledge traditions.
To read related work in advance please see João’s blog post ‘Paying Attention to Aphids’: https://www.cultivation.hps.cam.ac.uk/news/paying-attention-aphids-joao-...
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