Biopesticides: Pest Management and Regulation

Abstract

This book focuses on a particular set of tools for crop protection that have actual or realized potential for farmers and growers. Widely referred to as ‘biopesticides’ (although this name paints something of a misleading picture, which we discuss later), these are mass-produced, biologically based prod- ucts for crop protection. They include microbial natural enemies and natural products such as insecticides derived from plants or insect mating phero- mones and are described in more detail in Chapter 3. However, to date the sustainability benefi ts that they offer are not being realized and there are relatively few biopesticides on the market. We discuss some of the ecological and environmental issues concerning biopesticides, the failures in markets and the regulatory process and possible ways forward. We are concerned primarily with the use of biopesticides for the management of plant patho- gens, weeds and invertebrate pests of crops in industrialized countries, particularly Europe and North America.