Review on biological and biochemical pesticides as a sustainable alternative in organic agriculture

Abstract

Organic agriculture has experienced significant growth, sustaining the global economy in recent years. However, organic crops depend on various factors, such as the occurrence of pathogens in the fields, which cause losses in productivity and lead to economic damage. As a management strategy, farmers are still using synthetic pesticides during cultivation. Nevertheless, the indiscriminate application of these pesticides has resulted in negative effects and serious disruptions to the environment and humans. Thus, the use of chemical products as the sole solution is an idea that no longer holds because there are more sustainable management options available as alternatives for the farmers. Furthermore, the global scenario presents opportunities for the valorization of natural resources and the development of innovative research and solutions related to biological control and the formulation of biological-based products. Therefore, this study provides a comprehensive review of biological and biochemical pesticides with a biotechnological approach aimed at organic agriculture. Biological pesticides consist of a microorganism as the active ingredient, while biochemical pesticides are natural-derived substances, such as plant extracts and sexual pheromones. Challenges and sustainable perspectives are presented within the context of biotechnology. Overall, the biological inputs sector has the potential to overcome the drawbacks of organic agriculture with the knowledge and disclosure of technological innovations from the scientific community and the agri-food sector.