The Potential and Green Chemistry Attributes of Biopesticides for Sustainable Agriculture

Emmanuel O. Fenibo (), Grace N. Ijoma, Weiz Nurmahomed and Tonderayi Matambo
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Emmanuel O. Fenibo: World Bank Africa Centre of Excellence, Centre for Oilfield Chemical Research, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt 500272, Nigeria
Grace N. Ijoma: Institute for the Development of Energy for Africa Sustainability, University of South Africa, Johannesburg 1709, South Africa
Weiz Nurmahomed: Institute for the Development of Energy for Africa Sustainability, University of South Africa, Johannesburg 1709, South Africa
Tonderayi Matambo: Institute for the Development of Energy for Africa Sustainability, University of South Africa, Johannesburg 1709, South Africa

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 21, 1-24

Abstract: Chemotherapy has advanced modern agriculture with costly side effects such as the extinction of beneficial species, resistant pest resurgence, environmental pollution, tainted food consumption, and health implications. Attention is now focused on biopesticides as a solution to the abovementioned disadvantages. Additionally, there is a growing need to understand the range and relative effectiveness of biopesticides in controlling pests and promoting sustainable agriculture. The latter is the major driver of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In comparison to synthetic pesticides, biopesticides offer nearly similar protection against the most notorious pests, except Albugo candida (oomycetes), Ustilago maydis (fungi), Phytomonas spp. (protozoa), Nacobbus aberrans (nematode), and Cyperus rotundus (weed). This study shows that viruses are more vulnerable to essential oils, nematodes and weeds to natural enemies, herbivorous insects to biochemical insecticides, and plant pathogens to plant-incorporated protectants and microbial pesticides. This work also demonstrates that it is preferable to use plant-derived biopesticides in a field concurrently. Incorporating these findings into large-scale farming via the integrated pest management method would improve the outcome of sustainable agriculture (SA), which connects 11 of the 17 SDGs. Despite their proven efficacy and sustainable attributes, biopesticides have some deficiencies, such as slow action and a short shelf life span, which can be improved by omics, RNA interference, and nano-based technologies. This field of technologies provides relevant prospects for improving existing biopesticides and discovering and developing new bio-controlling agents (BCA).

Keywords: bio-controlling agents; synthetic pesticides; RNA interference; pest management; scope of effectiveness; SDGs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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