As concerns grow over the environmental and health risks posed by chemical pesticides, biopesticides are emerging as a more sustainable pest control option. Biopesticides are certain types of pesticides derived from such natural materials as animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals. With their novel modes of action against targeted pests and organisms, biopesticides offer reduced risks when properly used.
Advantages of Biopesticides
Biopesticides offer several advantages over conventional chemical pesticides:
- More Target-Specific: They typically pose less risk to the environment because they often only affect the target pest and closely related organisms. Bt proteins, for example, are deadly only to larvae of insects closely related to the species from which they were isolated.
- Less Toxic to Non-Target Organisms: They usually break down quickly and leave little or no residue, resulting in less potential for environmental contamination. Biochemical pesticides like pheromones are the least toxic.
- Lower Mammalian Toxicity: Most biopesticides are exempt from tolerances or have an established tolerance of "zero," meaning residue of the active ingredient should not remain in or on food or animal feed by the time of harvest. Microbial biopesticides tend to pose the lowest risks to mammals and other non-target organisms.
- Reduced Impact on Beneficial Insects: Unlike many synthetic chemicals that are broad-spectrum, biopesticides are less likely to devastate entire populations of beneficial species like predators and parasites. This preservation of natural enemies helps limit resurgence of target pests and outbreaks of secondary pests.
- Biodegradable: They typically break down quickly in the environment into simple, non-toxic components. Residues do not accumulate in the environment or in tissues of plants and animals. This provides benefits to growers, consumers, and the environment.
Potential Applications of Biopesticides
Biopesticides currently have applications across many crop and non-crop areas:
Crop Protection
- Bt strains are widely used against lepidopteran and coleopteran pests in fields and greenhouses. Other microbial agents target nematodes, mites, and aphids.
- Fungal biopesticides can control many weeds. Mycoherbicides containing plant pathogens offer alternatives to chemical herbicides.
- Biochemicals like pheromones are deployed for mating disruption in various insect pests.
Disease Control
- Microbial inoculants support plant health and diminish severity of fungal, bacterial, and viral diseases. Beneficial strains of Trichoderma, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Streptomyces suppress plant pathogens in soil, on foliage, and in seeds.
Livestock and Pets
- Bacteria, fungi, and nematodes aid in control of farm/stable pests like flies and grubs. Entomopathogenic fungi are marketed for fire ants and cockroaches. Probiotic formulations enhance animal/pet immunity.
Structural/Urban Pest Management
- Certain microbials and biochemicals are registered for interior/exterior IPM against ants, cockroaches, silverfish, spiders, mosquitoes, flies, and more. Targeted solutions aid in insect resistance management.
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