ROLE OF CERTAIN MICROBIAL BIOPESTICIDES IN FARMING

Abstract

Farming of all types such as Organic, Dryland, Agroforestry, or Commercial farming-each type faces the menace of pests. To curb this type of problem, besides harmful chemical pesticides, the pesticides of biological origin which have suitably been called biopesticides play an important role in farming. Biopesticides are pesticides derived from biological species or materials in nature such as animals, plants, bacteria, minerals etc. Besides traditional use of neem, turmeric etc. the bacterial, viral and fungal, protozoal, nematodial pesticides have also proven to be efficient biopesticides. Their use is considered significant for various reasons and these also make a part of Integrated Pest Management. The target specificity and biodegradability is observed. Certain Bacillus Species like Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Agrobacterium radiobacter, B.popilliae, Virus Species like Helicide armigeraNuclear Polyhedrosis viruses (NPVs) Spodoptera litura and Fungal species like Trichoderma sps., Beauveria bassania Zoophthora radicans and Protozoans like Varimorpha, Malamoeba, Nosema etc. have shown good results which further can be taken for more wider applicability of biopesticides in farming.