1Krishna Institute of Science and Technology, Krishna Vishwa Vidyapeeth “Deemed to be University”, Karad, Satara - 415 539, Maharashtra, India, E-mail: ashwiniawtade11@gmail.com
2Department of Entomology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), Bhubaneswar - 751 030, Odisha, India, E-mail: prajnapati@soa.ac.in
3Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Parul University, Vadodara - 391 760, Gujarat, India, E-mail: agriculture@paruluniversity.ac.in
4Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Krishna Institute of Pharmacy, Krishna Vishwa Vidyapeeth “Deemed to be University”, Karad, Satara - 415539, Maharashtra, India, E-mail: mshewale949@gmail.com
5Department of Zoology, Thakur College of Science and Commerce, Kandivali (E), Mumbai - 400 101, Maharashtra, India, E-mail: rupeshyadav@tcsc.edu.in
Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Noida International University, Greater Noida, Gautam Budhha Nagar -201 310, Uttar Pradesh, India
*Corresponding authors' E-mail: varun1.sharma@niu.edu.in
Online published on 26 September, 2025.
The hunt for chemical herbicide solutions has been accelerated by the necessity of ecologically friendly farming techniques. Integrated pest management (IPM) depends much on BCAs, which comprise worms, bacteria, fungus, and viruses. Though they have potential, BCAs are not particularly helpful and do not usually operate the same in the field. This has spurred research on biological approaches with improved performance. Key biotechnology techniques include synthetic biology, CRISpen/Cas9 gene editing, and genetic engineering have enabled the creation of biological control agents (BCAs) more adept at eradicating pests. By means of metabolic engineering, BCAs have been significantly enhanced to enable longer survival and better handling of demanding surroundings. New manufacturing technologies, like packaging and slow-release methods, have made it possible for BCAs to work better and last longer in many farming settings. New developments in biotechnology show a lot of hope for making BCAs work better and lowering the need for chemical herbicides. Adding these improved BCAs to IPM plans is very important for supporting healthy farming and dealing with problems related to food security around the world.
Agriculture, Biocontrol agents, Biological control, Biotechnology, CRISPR, Crop pests, Encapsulation, Formulation, Genetic engineering, Integrated pest management, Pest resistance, Pest management, RNA interference, Sustainability, Synthetic biology
