ABSTRACT
Microsporidia are important natural regulators of many insect populations and as such are suitable microbial agents for the biological control of pest insects. Among the best-characterized microsporidia are those that infect the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis. This chapter presents the analysis on Nosema pyrausta and Vairimorpha necatrix, as well as the recently described Nosema fur-nacalis. It examines the criteria in light of the need to recognize or develop more effective strains of microsporidia for corn borer control. The chapter reviews the advances in the identification of microsporidia that may facilitate the detection of introduced microsporidia and their delineation from indigenous species. It aims to evaluate what is known about microsporidian strains that offer different characteristics important to their use in biological control and the prospects for their manipulation via strain selection or genetic manipulation. Genetic studies and specific identification based on cytogenetic features are difficult because of the small size of microsporidia and their intracellular inhabitation.
