Bio-pesticide: A eco-friendly approach for plant protection

Bio-pesticides are of plant origin and include plant products like alkaloids, phenolics, terpenoids and some secondary chemicals. They are biologically active against insects, fungi, nematodes affecting their behavior and physiology. Commonly known insecticides are Pyrethrum, Nicotine, Neem, Margosa, Rotenone etc. Trichoderma virideae or Trichoderma harazianum or Pseudomonas fluorescence formulation @ 4 gm kg-1 seed either alone or in combination, manage most of the seed borne and soil borne diseases. There is other formulations viz. Beauvaria bassiana, Metarizium anisopliae, Numeri arileyi, Verticillium sp, which are available in the market and can manage their specific host pest. Bacillus thurengensis stenebrionis and Bacillus thurengensis sandigo are effective against coleopterans as well as some other insect species. Bacillus thuringiensis has been used in the management of diamond back moth on crucifers and vegetables @ 0.5-1.0 kg ha-1.  Viral biopesticides of baculovirus group viz. granulosis viruses (GV) and nuclearpolyhedrosis viruses provided a great scope in plant protection field. Spray of nuclear polyhedrosis viruses (NPV) of Helicoverpa armigera (H) or Spodoptera litura (S) @ 250 larval equivalents are very effective tools to manage the Helicoverpa sp. or Spodoptera sp. respectively.