For example, the silkworm baculovirus infects only silkworms. This makes the viruses very safe to work with, and has paved the way for their approval for use as biopesticides around the world. When employed as a pesticide, a baculovirus infects and kills pests such as cabbage moths, thereby preventing crop damage.
由於桿狀病毒十分安全，在世界各國都已被核准作為「生物性農藥」──以桿狀病毒替代農藥噴灑於菜葉上，可以防治蟲害，如小菜蛾等田間害蟲感染病毒後，會自然發病死亡。