Overview of mechanisms and uses of biopesticides

Biopesticides have proven to be suitable for the control of agricultural diseases and insects. Natural products and micro-organisms have been used as biopesticides worldwide as they can be sourced from the environment, they are generally safe to non-target organisms including humans, they have reduced persistence in the environment, and they are potentially acceptable for use in organic agriculture. Compared with synthetic pesticides, new biopesticides can gain regulatory approval faster. They can also be developed in less time and are much less expensive to develop. In China, some biopesticides currently being developed may be suitable alternatives to chemical pesticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis, Jinggangmycin, pyrethrins and brassinolide. This review summarizes the mode of action of biopesticides and describes their current development for use in agriculture.