Persistence of viruses and DNA in soil

With growing environmental concerns over the use of chemical pesticides for insect control in both agriculture and forestry, increased emphasis is being placed on the development of alternative, biological pesticides such as genetically modified baculoviruses. Before the large-scale use of genetically modified viruses (GMV) can be realized, fate of GMV and their DNA in soil should be investigated. There are a number of factors that have the potential to affect persistence of both wild-type and genetically modified viruses and their DNA in soil. In this mini-review, the persistence of viral particles and DNA in soil is examined with particular emphasis on baculoviruses.