We're sorry. An error has occurred
Please cancel or retry.
Challenges in commercialising microbial-based biopesticides for controlling insect pests
Some error occured while loading the Quick View. Please close the Quick View and try reloading the page.
Couldn't load pickup availability
- Format:
-
03 April 2025

Biopesticides, pest control products based on microbes or their bioactive compounds, are a growing segment of the biocontrol market, including those targeting insects. Biopesticides, including those targeting plant diseases and weeds, currently comprise ~10% of the total pesticide market, with bioinsecticides making up 30% of the biopesticides sold. That is still a low overall market share, considering the unprecedented need for environmentally friendly products with low mammalian toxicity. Despite consumer, grower and political declarations calling for more use, biopesticides continue to only grow at a steady rate year after year, although the growth rate is increasing compared to agrochemicals. This Chapter explores the issues around commercialising promising microbes into formulated biopesticide products and discusses areas where improvements may create more rapid advances their use.
TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Pest Control, Pest control / plant diseases, TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Agriculture / Sustainable Agriculture, TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Agriculture / Agronomy / Crop Science, Sustainable agriculture, Agronomy and crop production
- 1 Introduction
- 2 The current state of the biopesticide market
- 3 Issues holding back new biocontrol products: regulation and policy
- 4 Issues holding back new biocontrol products: economic mass production
- 5 Issues holding back new biocontrol products: formulation for long shelf life and survival after application
- 6 Issues holding back new biocontrol products: field efficacy perception and fact
- 7 Issues holding back new biocontrol products: meeting market needs
- 8 Issues holding back new biocontrol products: lack of novel actives and approaches
- 9 Conclusion
- 10 Where to look for further information
- 11 References