Biopesticides: Current Status and Future Prospects in India

Abstract

For over a century, chemical control of pests is a common practice in agriculture. The average reduction in global crop loss due to use of pesticides is around ∼39%. The postharvest losses and quality decline caused by storage pests are major problems in a subtropical country like India. So, the farmers have relied heavily on the use of chemical pesticides to improve their crop production, which is now paying a huge toll on the human health and environment. Though the chemical pesticides are very effective, what concerns over their use is their effect on soil and environment and presence of residue in food products. Another major issue is the development of resistance in the pests. Therefore, the use of biopesticides to control pests is now preferred over synthetic pesticides because of their pest control ability and diverse mode of actions which helps in avoiding resistance development in the pests. In a country like India with a huge diversity of plants, there is an urgent need for identifying new biopesticides which can serve the purpose of pest control. India needs to develop its own biocontrol agents (BCA) because it will be cost-effective and also environment-friendly. Major hurdle in the development and use of new biopesticides in India is the commercialization process. The farmers are reluctant to use the new products because of high cost and no practical knowledge.