Biopesticide

Definition

A pest-control agent derived from living organisms or their natural products, including microbial pesticides (bacteria, fungi, viruses), biochemical pesticides (naturally occurring substances such as pheromones or plant extracts), and plant-incorporated protectants (transgenic traits). Biopesticides act through mechanisms distinct from conventional synthetic pesticides, such as infection, competition, or behavioral manipulation, and typically exhibit narrower target specificity and shorter environmental persistence.

Etymology

From Greek bios (life) + Latin pestis (plague) + caedere (to kill)

Example

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a soil bacterium that produces crystalline proteins toxic to lepidopteran larvae, is formulated as a biopesticide spray for caterpillar control in vegetable crops and forestry.

Synonyms

• biological pesticide
• natural pesticide

Related Terms

• Integrated Pest Management
• Biological control
• entomopathogenic fungus
• microbial insecticide
• pheromone trap
• resistance management
• Bt toxin

Usage Notes

Distinguished from broader 'biological control,' which includes living macroorganisms (predators, parasitoids) released or conserved for pest suppression. Biopesticides are typically regulated as pesticides and require registration, whereas biological control agents often do not. The term excludes synthetic compounds, even those based on natural templates. Effectiveness depends strongly on environmental conditions—temperature, humidity, and UV exposure often limit field persistence of microbial formulations.