Current development, application and constraints of biopesticides in plant disease management

Abstract Biopesticides are the compounds that can manage agricultural diseases without harming natural ecosystem. Since past many years till today pests control in crop production is largely dependent on synthetic pesticides which have worsen the environment as well as many pesticide resistant reports in crops have been emerged. Biopesticides certainly offer a better way to manage plant diseases and environment simultaneously. Biopesticides have tremendous potential to replace or reduce synthetic pesticides usage and cost incurred in them. In general, biopesticides for plant disease management includes exploitation of natural organisms, and product derived from them, biocontrol formulations, essential oils, botanical extracts and also nano biopesticides. Biopesticides require regulatory guidelines and approval system as in case of synthetic pesticides with necessary modifications. This chapter will discuss biopesticides used in current agriculture, their applications, registered biopesticides in India and their regulatory systems. Biopesticides indeed a potential tool as a significant part of integrated pest management (IPM). Application of biopesticides and their use also impose certain challenges such as research for potential biopesticides, production cost and their risk assessment on animal and human; these are also discussed in the current chapter.