Botanical Pesticides: An Eco-Friendly Approach for Management of Insect Pests

Abstract

Insect pest management is a global economic and ecological concern, due to the risks to people and the environment posed by the injudicious application of synthetic pesticide chemicals.To address the issue of insect resistance, it is crucial to identify new and powerful insecticides.Since botanicals are said to be less harmful to the environment and human health than synthetic chemical pesticides, they have long been promoted as appealing substitutes for synthetic agrochemicals.Commercial usage of pyrethrum and neem is well established, pesticides based on plant essential oils have entered the market and rotenone application seems to be declining.A plethora of plant compounds have been investigated for use as insect antifeedants, repellents and toxicants, however apart from some naturally occurring repellents, plant compounds that alter arthropod behaviour have only had limited commercial success.Several studies have shown the compatibility and synergism of botanicals with entomopathogens.The success of botanicals appears to be hindered by a range of variables, chief among them being regulatory obstacles and the availability of substitute products (newer synthetics and fermentation products) that are more affordable and generally risk-free than their forerunners.Botanicals offer residue-free food and a safe environment while also being considerably safer to natural enemies of insects.Thus, botanicals with multiple mode of actions are useful to protect the crops under organic agriculture.In order to reduce the detrimental effects of conventional pesticides, botanical pesticides can be employed as alternative or complementary tools in integrated pest management to achieve better results in a sustainable way.

Topics & Concepts