BIOPESTICIDES: AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR INSECT PEST MANAGEMENT AND CURRENT SCENARIO IN INDIA

Agricultural crops are vulnerable to attack number of pests like bacteria, fungi, weed and insects, leading to reduced yield and poor quality of the produce. Synthetic pesticides are highly effective in pest control because only they act on a broad host range but their negative impact on the environment and the overall sustainability of the farming systems. Use of synthetic pesticides has severely affected both the abiotic and biotic components of the environment. While the farmer is exemplified by pesticide residues in soil, air, water, food etc., the latter includes phytotoxicity, physiological deformities, diseases, mortality, population changes, genetic disorders, gene erosion, etc. in plant, mammal, avian, insect and other organisms. Biopesticides are considered to be the best alternative to synthetic pesticides that are highly effective, target specific and reduce environmental risks. These factors led to its application in pest management program instead of chemical pesticides throughout the world. Biopesticides are derived from animals, plants and other natural materials such as fungi, bacteria, algae, viruses, nematodes and protozoa. The advance research and development in the field of biopesticides applications greatly reduce the environmental pollution caused by the chemical synthetic insecticides residues and promotes sustainable development of agriculture. Since the advent of biopesticides, a large number of products have been registered and released, some of which have played a leading role in the agro-market in India. In India several bio-pesticides currently being developed may be excellent alternatives to chemical pesticides. There are many locally available plants like neem, garlic, triphala, pinuskesia, cymbopogan etc., which can be easily processed and used for pest management. However, in India, some other microbial biopesticides like Bt, NPV, Trichoderma, Pseudomonas etc. have already been registered and are being practiced by farmers. The development of biopesticides has prompted to replace the chemical pesticide in pest management for sustainable crop production.