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Use of biopesticides – A safe solution Dr Chris Knight Campden BRI

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Page 1: Bio Pesticides

Use of biopesticides – A safe solution

Dr Chris KnightCampden BRI

Page 2: Bio Pesticides

Biopesticides - Introduction

• Insects, plant disease and weeds are major constraints to food crop production

• Becoming more difficult to control by conventional methods– Pesticide resistance, product withdrawals

• Need to control emerging threats

Page 3: Bio Pesticides

Biopesticides - Introduction• Pressure to reduce residue levels from

conventional chemical pesticides– Regulations: changes in MRLs– Retailers: minimise detectable residues

• Pressure to develop sustainable ‘pest’ control systems– Environmental welfare– Maintain crop quality, productivity and

profitability

Page 4: Bio Pesticides

Biopesticides - Introduction• Integrated Crop Management (ICM)

seen as the way forward (cf IPM)– Framework for reduced chemical pesticide

use and residue levels• Combines complementary ‘pest’

control methods– Include chemical, biological, cultural and

physical controls, plant resistance and decision support systems

Page 5: Bio Pesticides

Biopesticides in ICM• Make an important contribution to ICM

– Help reduce reliance on chemical pesticides

• Major role to play in sustainable farming– Conventional and organic systems– Reduce artificial chemical inputs

Page 6: Bio Pesticides

What is a biopesticide?• Range of definitions and terminologies

– Can be confusing– Essentially a broad group of agents

• Defined as– Mass produced– Biologically based agents– Used to control plant pests, diseases and

weeds

Page 7: Bio Pesticides

What is a biopesticide?• ‘Biopesticide’ covers a wide spectrum

of ‘products’– Subject to regulation as pesticides– Approved uses and conditions of use

• Living organisms as control agents– e.g. predatory insects– Not necessarily regulated as pesticide

products• Three basic categories

Page 8: Bio Pesticides

Categories of biopesticides (1)• Products based on pheromone and

other semiochemicals– e.g. insect pheromones for trapping or

mating disruption• Semiochemicals

– Chemicals emitted by plants, animals and other organisms (or synthetic analogues)

– Evoke a behavioural or physiological response in the same or similar species

Page 9: Bio Pesticides

Categories of biopesticides (2)• Products containing microorganisms

(microbials)– e.g. bacterium, fungus, virus

• Natural enemies– Includes invertebrates (e.g. predatory

insects) and nematodes– Not necessarily regulated as a pesticide

product

Page 10: Bio Pesticides

Categories of biopesticides (3)• Products based on plant extracts

– Unprocessed extracts representing a cluster of substances

– Highly refined containing one active substance

Page 11: Bio Pesticides

Categories of biopesticides (Other)• Genetically modified plants

– Express introduced genes that confer protection against pests and disease

• Not universally accepted as ‘biopesticides’

Page 12: Bio Pesticides

How many biopesticide products?• Wide variation in countries

– Over a 1000 products in USA– Significantly fewer in EU

• Microbial products– 200 in USA– 60 comparable products available in EU

Page 13: Bio Pesticides

Examples of biopesticides (UK)• Fungicide

– Bacillus subtilis (specific strain)– Coniothyrium minitans (specific strain)

• Insecticide– B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki– Cydia pomella granulosis virus– Verticillium lecanii– Spinosad– Fatty acids

Page 14: Bio Pesticides

Examples of biopesticides (UK)• Herbicide

– Citronella oil (plant extract)– Fatty acids

• Other– Candida oleophila (biological control)– Peniophora gigantea (tree stumps)– Pepper (vertebrate control)– Zucchini yellow mosaic virus weak strain

(immunisation)

Page 15: Bio Pesticides

Biopesticides - Benefits• Usually inherently less toxic than

conventional pesticides– Environmental and worker welfare

• Produce little if any residue– Food safety

• Generally have a narrow spectrum of activity– Low direct impact on non targets,

including humans and wildlife

Page 16: Bio Pesticides

Biopesticides - Benefits• Use often compatible with other

control agents• May aid chemical pesticide

performance when used together– Enhanced control– Help prevent/delay chemical pesticide

resistance• Mode of action not specific

– Reduced risk of developing resistance

Page 17: Bio Pesticides

Biopesticides - Benefits• Used as a component of ICM may decrease

use of chemical pesticides– Crop quality and yields remain high

• Flexible approach to ‘pest’ management– Natural enemies can reproduce in the pest

population and respond to changes• Help meet market demands/expecations for

– Environmentally friendly agriculture– Reduced chemical pesticide residues

Page 18: Bio Pesticides

Biopesticide - Concerns• Commercialisation is affected strongly

by the regulatory system– Governs their authorisation and use– Disincentive for manufacturers

• Industry is relatively small– Many SMEs– Policy resources limited– Undergoing organisational development

Page 19: Bio Pesticides

Biopesticide - Concerns• Higher unit prices compared to

chemical pesticides• In general, biopesticides are not as

effective as chemicals– Chemicals easier to predict what will do

• Biopesticides may not work immediately– Ecological background may have to

change first

Page 20: Bio Pesticides

Biopesticide - Concerns• Shelf life may be shorter than

chemicals• Technical knowledge

– Have to be used in relatively complex knowledge intensive management systems

– To be used effectively users need to know a great deal about managing ‘pests’

– May act as a disincentive or influence efficacy

Page 21: Bio Pesticides

Biopesticides - Summary• Comparisons between chemical and

biopesticides are over simplistic– May detract from from beneficial

properties• Becoming part of mainstream

agriculture– agrochemical industry– Good Agricultural Practice

Page 22: Bio Pesticides

Biopesticides - Summary• Make an important contribution to

– Development of sustainable agriculture– ICM/IPM systems– Reducing reliance on chemical pesticides– Reducing pesticide residue levels in food– Meeting market demands and expecations

• Provide positive public benefits related to policy goals

Page 23: Bio Pesticides

Biopesticides - Summary• Positive benefits

– Environmental welfare– Food safety

• Wider commercial uptake requires collaboration between– Governments and regulators– Agrochemical industry– Farmers

Page 24: Bio Pesticides

Thank [email protected]