Methyl Benzoate as a Promising, Environmentally Safe Insecticide: Current Status and Future Perspectives

Md. Munir Mostafiz, Errol Hassan and Kyeong-Yeoll Lee
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Md. Munir Mostafiz: Division of Applied Biosciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
Errol Hassan: School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia
Kyeong-Yeoll Lee: Division of Applied Biosciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-18

Abstract: The widespread use of synthetic chemical pesticides beginning in the late 1930s has contributed to the development of insecticide resistance of many important species of pest insects and plants. Recent trends in pesticide development have emphasized the use of more environmentally benign control methods that take into consideration environmental, food safety, and human health. Biopesticides (e.g., naturally occurring pesticidal compounds) are alternative pest management tools that normally have no negative impact on human health or the environment. Here we review methyl benzoate, a relatively new botanical insecticide that occurs naturally as a metabolite in plants, and whose odor is an attractant to some insects. Since 2016, many studies have shown that methyl benzoate is an effective pesticide against a range of different agricultural, stored product, and urban insect pests. Methyl benzoate has several important modes of action, including as a contact toxicant, a fumigant, an ovicidal toxin, an oviposition deterrent, a repellent, and an attractant. In this review, we summarize various modes of action of methyl benzoate and its toxicity or control potential against various kinds of arthropods, including agricultural pests and their natural enemies, and pollinators. We conclude that methyl benzoate is a very promising candidate for use in integrated pest management under either greenhouse or field conditions.

Keywords: botanical pesticides; biorational pesticides; essential oils; integrated pest management; mode of action; sustainable agriculture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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