Biopesticedes are certain types of pesticides derived from such natural materials as animals, plants, bacteria and certain minerals. Biopesticides are pest management agents based on living microorganisms or natural products. They have proven potential for pest management and they are being used across the world. Biopesticides are living organisms (natural enemies) or their products (phytochemicals, microbial products) or byproducts (semiochemicals) which can be used for the management of pests that are injurious to plants. They are living organisms which are cultivated in the laboratory on a large scale and are used and exploited experimentally for the control of harmful organisms. Examples include insects, viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes.
Biopesticides have an important role in crop protection, although most commonly in combination with other tools including chemical pesticides as part of Biointensive Integrated Pest Management. Biopesticides or biological pesticides pose less threat to the environment or to human health because they are specifically targeted to a single pathogenic pest.
The three main types of biopesticides are microbial pesticides, biochemical and plant-incorporated protectants.
Microbial pesticides contain active ingredients of specific types of microorganisms, such as a fungus, bacterium or protozoan. Each active ingredient can be utilized to target a specific type of pest. For example, some fungi can suppress certain weeds, while certain types of bacteria can control different species of insect larvae, such as mosquitoes, moths or flies. The most commonly utilized microbial pesticides come from strains of the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). The bacterial strains manufacture different protein mixes that can target specific insect larvae and will not affect other organisms.
Biochemical pesticides use natural substances like insect sex pheromones, which can disrupt mating, thus controlling the insect population. Other types of biochemical pesticides can include the use of hormones, enzymes and scented plant extracts to attract and trap certain pests. These are good alternatives to conventional pesticides because the latter often contain synthetic toxic material to destroy insects.
By introducing genetic material into plants, scientists can make plants produce pesticide substances which can target and kill specific pests. In some cases, the addition of a gene with a particular Bt protein can produce these plant incorporated protectants, or plant pesticides.
There are considerable potential benefits to agriculture and public health programmes through the use of biopesticides. The interest in biopesticides is based on the advantages associated with such products, as follows:
1) They are less toxic and inherently less harmful and cause less environmental load;
2) Designed to affect only one specific pest or, in some cases, a few target organisms;
3) Often effective in very small quantities and often decompose quickly, thereby resulting in lower exposures and largely avoiding the pollution problems.
4) When used as a component of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programmes, biopesticides can contribute greatly.
5) They are safer for humans and the environment.
However, for the effective use of biological pesticides, it is important to have extensive knowledge of pest management.
The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsi-ble for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
