What are Bio pesticides? How are they useful for crop protection?

Bio pesticides are the biological pesticides derived from the natural materials such as animals, plants, bacteria and certain minerals.

Bio pesticides includes naturally occurring substances which control pests and microbial organisms that control pests. These are known as microbial pesticides.

History about introduction of bio pesticides:

Erasmus Darwin who is the grand father of Charles Darwin predicted in 1800 that we can use natural predators for minimising the pests. He had written that in his book named as “Philosophy of Agriculture and Gardening“. But this use and importance of biopesticides was realised in the early 20th century.

The usage of biopesticides for the management of pest control came into action only after 1950.

Biopesticides are very useful to the plants and are non-toxic. Chemical pesticides are hazardous and cause great damage to the health, ecosystem and water.

Chemical pesticides were used to boost up the food production and it was useful only for a certain extent.

The uncontrolled and un scientific use of chemical pesticides has lead to the disaster and created several problems such as

• Resistance to insecticides
• Resurgene of secondary pests
• Environmental pollution
• Residues in the food, drinking water and even in the breast milk

  Fundamentals of Health and Life