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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. Categories of biopesticides (3)
Products based on plant extracts
Unprocessed extracts representing a cluster of substances
Highly refined containing one active substance

11. Categories of biopesticides (Other)
Genetically modified plants
Express introduced genes that confer protection against pests and disease
Not universally accepted as ‘biopesticides’

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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)

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. Biopesticides - Summary
Positive benefits
Environmental welfare
Food safety
Wider commercial uptake requires collaboration between
Governments and regulators
Agrochemical industry
Farmers

24. Thank you c.knight@campden.co.uk