Baculovirus biopesticides -an ecofriendly approach for insect-pest management

Chemical pest control agents, though extensively used in all countries of the world, have been widely regarded as ecologically unacceptable. Therefore, there is the increased social pressure to replace them gradually with biopesticides which are safe to humen and non-target organisms. At present, the world market for microbial pesticides is in excess of US $ 125 million per annum which is still less than 1% of the total global market for agrochemical crop protection of $ 20–25 billion. Baculoviruses pesticides are ideal tools in integrated pest management programs as they are usually highly specific to their host insects; thus, they do not affect other arthropods including pest predators and parasitoids. Effective public extension services and farmer education toward application of biopesticides are much needed to expand the use of these products worldwide