Biopesticides: State of the art and future opportunities

Authors: SEIBER, JAMES - UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA; COATS, JOEL - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY; DUKE, STEPHEN; GROSS, AARON - UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/7/2014
Publication Date: 11/18/2014
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/61073
Citation: Seiber, J.N., Coats, J., Duke, S.O., Gross, A.D. 2014. Biopesticides: State of the art and future opportunities. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 62:11613-11619.

Interpretive Summary: The use of biopesticides and related alternative management products is increasing. New tools, including semiochemicals, plant incorporated protectants (PIPs), as well as botanical and microbially-derived chemicals are playing an increasing role in pest management, along with plant and animal genetics, biological control, cultural methods and newer synthetics. The goal of this Perspective is to highlight promising new biopesticide research and development, based upon recently published work and that presented in the American Chemical Society’s symposium: “Biopesticides: State of the Art and Future Opportunities,” as well as the authors’ own perspectives. While the focus is on biopesticides, progress with products exhibiting similar characteristics—naturally occurring or derived from natural products, target specific, low toxicity to non-target organisms, reduced persistence in the environment and potentially useable in organic agriculture—will be included in this Perspective. Progress is being made, illustrated by the number of biopesticides and related products in the registration pipeline, yet major commercial opportunities exist for new bioherbicides and bionematicides, in part occasioned by emergence of weeds resistant to glyphosate and the phase out of methyl bromide. The emergence of entrepreneurial start-up companies, EPA’s fast track for biopesticides, and the availability of funding for registration-related R&D for biorational pesticides through the US IR-4 program provide incentives for biopesticide development, but an expanded effort is warranted both in the U.S. and worldwide to stand up this relatively nascent industry.

Technical Abstract: The use of biopesticides and related alternative management products is increasing. New tools, including semiochemicals, plant incorporated protectants (PIPs), as well as botanical and microbially-derived chemicals are playing an increasing role in pest management, along with plant and animal genetics, biological control, cultural methods and newer synthetics. The goal of this Perspective is to highlight promising new biopesticide research and development, based upon recently published work and that presented in the American Chemical Society’s symposium: “Biopesticides: State of the Art and Future Opportunities,” as well as the authors’ own perspectives. While the focus is on biopesticides, progress with products exhibiting similar characteristics—naturally occurring or derived from natural products, target specific, low toxicity to non-target organisms, reduced persistence in the environment and potentially useable in organic agriculture—will be included in this Perspective. Progress is being made, illustrated by the number of biopesticides and related products in the registration pipeline, yet major commercial opportunities exist for new bioherbicides and bionematicides, in part occasioned by emergence of weeds resistant to glyphosate and the phase out of methyl bromide. The emergence of entrepreneurial start-up companies, EPA’s fast track for biopesticides, and the availability of funding for registration-related R&D for biorational pesticides through the US IR-4 program provide incentives for biopesticide development, but an expanded effort is warranted both in the U.S. and worldwide to stand up this relatively nascent industry.