Farmers have been using chemical pesticides such as herbicides, bactericides, and nematicides to protect crops from pests for decades now. The long-term use of synthetic chemicals destroys the soil quality and consumption of chemically treated food can cause biomagnifications, resulting in diseases such as kidney problems, cancer, and liver dysfunction, cardiovascular and neurological disorders. Moreover, when the chemical pesticides enter into water bodies it can destroy aquatic life.
Considering the adverse impact on human health and natural resources of using chemical pesticides, farmers switch to biopesticides for integrated pest management. Unlike chemical pesticides, the biological pest control method is a promising approach to managing pests because it involves use of natural predators of the pest that destroy crops. Therefore, the introduction of biopesticides in integrated pest management strategies is a great initiative towards sustainable agriculture practices for crop production.
What is Biopesticides?
Biopesticides are natural chemicals obtained from living organisms for pest management as they are safe alternatives to chemical pests. The biological pesticide is target-specific, so it prevents the attack of specific pests in the crops. The aim of using biopesticides in integrated pest management is to control undesired pests without affecting friendly microbes. For instance, Bacillus thuringiensis provides a cry protein that specifically targets ball-worm (a pest that attacks cotton plants during the blooming stage).
How Do Biopesticides Work?
Biopesticides are target-specific and work in two different ways. Some of the biopesticides work as repellents, wherein it is preventing pests from eating the crops. On the other hand, another version of biopesticides releases toxin substances that interfere with the reproductive cycle of pests, preventing them from reproducing as well as killing them. The third version of biological pesticides attract parasites, which directly kill pests.
Farmers can directly apply these biological pesticides using spray on crops and also as seed dressing. These natural pesticide killers have a short residual activity, which means they pose a low risk to the environment and human health. This becomes the evident reason that farmers are now shifting to biopesticides as a reliable alternative to kill pests naturally.
Types of Biopesticides Used in Integrated Pest Management
Biopesticides are classified into three broad categories on the basis of their extraction or origin.
- Microbial Biopesticides
Microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa have been used to derive microbial biopesticides. These types of biopesticides are target-specific and therefore, acts against only specific plant pests. The microbial biopesticides release toxins which hinder the biological functions of pests. Agrobacterium radiobacter and Bacillus thuringiensis are some examples of common biopesticides that are used to kill insect pests.
- Biochemical Pesticides
Biochemical pesticide is a vital part of integrated pest management as these are obtained from plant extracts. Secondary metabolites such as phenolics, alkaloids, nitrogenated compounds, and essential oils are used as biochemical pesticides.
The compounds obtained from plants may be used as repellent and growth regulators. Moreover, they directly interface with the life cycle of the pests and cause metabolic dysfunction. For example, neem oil that is extracted from plants is used to kill white flies, aphids, and other insects.
- Plant Incorporated Protectants (PIPs)
Some plants release PIPs, a form of biochemical that is obtained from genetically modified plants. These PIPs can be a protein, toxin, or other compound that has pesticide activity. The most common example of PIPs is Bt crops. Cry protein from the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis is incorporated into the plant, and when a pest feeds on that crop, this toxin enters into the gut and kills the pest.
In some of the recently genetically modified crops, an RNA interference mechanism is introduced to produce pesticides. In this instance, RNAi works as a gene silencer that degrades the mRNA of pests and slowly kills them. PIPs have the ability to control weeds, fungi, and insect pest attacks. That is why PIPs are crucial biopesticides in sustainable agriculture practices.
Why Are Biopesticides Important in Integrated Pest Management Strategies?
Integrated pest management follows a combined approach of cultural, chemical, and biological practices to control the pest. However, recently integrated pest management has also emphasized biological control methods where natural parasites are used to attack pests that are affecting crops.
Biopesticides are a conventional treatment that neither alters soil quality nor harms soil-friendly microbes. Thus, by integrating these biopesticides into the IPM, farmers can easily eliminate the use of chemicals to kill pests. IPM strategies include biopesticides as a key pest controller include due to following reasons;
⬝ Biopesticides are not toxic to humans and the environment
⬝ They are species-specific, which means they only target pests instead of harming beneficial microbes.
⬝ They possess a low risk of developing insect resistance.
⬝ Biopesticides are easily biodegradable, which further reduces the risk of environmental pollution.
⬝ They are easily compatible with other integrated pest management without interfering with other functions.
Biopesticides Market Growth Trends
The emergence of biopesticides as an effective pest controller propels the growth of the biopesticides market. The ongoing research on metagenomics and strain enhancement to optimize the production of biopesticides is likely to support the biopesticides market in forthcoming years. The potential efforts of governments towards integrated pest management strategies and eco-friendly agricultural practices further boost the biopesticides market. With increasing demand for biopesticides, we expect that the global agricultural biologics market will grow at a CAGR of 9.98%,according to Roots Analysis. The rise in concern for the environment has also accelerated the sales of sustainable agriculture solutions like biopesticides—propelling the biopesticides market.
Integration of Biofungicides To Control Weeds and Fungus Expecting to Propel Market
The shift towards zero tillage farming patterns led to an increase in the density of pathogenic fungus in the soil, leading to economic losses due to spoilage of crops. Earlier, farmers used chemical based fungicide to control the growth of fungus on crops and soil. Chemical-based fungicide usage has recorded enormous damage to the environment, due to which various government organizations set limits on using chemical active ingredients on plants to avoid the adverse impact on natural resources and humans.
The rising resistance towards chemical fungicides has paced the demand for biological fungicides. At the same time, the ban on chemically active ingredients for chemical fungicide production becomes a favorable factor for the biopesticides market growth. Considering the facts, marketing leaders are actively shifting to biological pesticides to control pathogenic nematodes naturally.
Top Biopesticides Market Players
Biopesticides have become an integrated pest management practice to achieve higher yields without causing damage to natural resources. Also, the increasing demand for biological control methods captivates key marketing players to increase the production of biopesticides and satisfy the customer base. Some other key biopesticides companies
⬝ BASF (Germany)
⬝ Bayer CropScience (Germany)
⬝ BioWorks (U.S.)
⬝ Novozymes (Denmark)
⬝ Syngenta (Switzerland)
⬝ Certis (U.S.)
About Roots Analysis
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