Journal Press India^®

Author Details ( * ) denotes Corresponding author

Green chemistry and sustainableagriculture are inherentlyintertwined; farmers need greenchemists to make safe agriculturalchemical inputs. Green chemistsneed farmers practicing sustainableagriculture to provide truly ―green‖bio-based raw materials to processinto new products.Green Chemistry connectswith sustainable agricultureas a consumer of agriculturalproducts, as a source forremediation technologies,and as a producer of inputs.In very general terms, according to the US EPA, biopesticides are pesticides derived fromnatural materials such as animals, plants, bacteria, and minerals. The two key categoriesfocused on in this report include biochemical and microbial pesticides (reviewing the third category of biopesticides, transgenic crops, was outside the scope of this report). Thesubcategories of biochemical pesticides introduced in this report include insect pheromones,plant extracts and oils, plant growth regulators and insect growth regulators. Microbialpesticide subcategories discussed include bacteria, virus, fungus, and other less commonmicroorganisms. Biopesticide solutions often require the grower to learn new application techniques and new ways of thinking about pest management. As noted, biopesticides are often highly specific and have very precise modes of action. This specificity can mean that workers can enter fields quickly after use, thus cutting wait times and offering more flexibility to the user. Specificity also means, however, that growers may need to purchase several different kinds of product to meet their pest management needs; this is a potential cost concern for growers. Biopesticides also require new skills and understanding of pests, their life cycles and how to use biopesticides to intercede effectively. This is both a challenge but also an opportunity for expanding a new category of skilled labor in the farm sector.

Keywords

Biopesticides; Transgenic; Pheromones

1. A. Kawada, S. Mitamura, S. Kobayashi, J. Chem. Soc.,Chem. Commun., 1993, 1157


2. The Chemical Industry, CIA (UK), 1993; Pan European Image Survey, CEFIC, 1994


3. Green Chemistry: Challenging Perspectives, ed. P. Tundoand P. T. Anastas, Oxford Science, Oxford, 1999


4. Chemistry of Waste Minimisation, ed. J. H. Clark, Chapmanand Hall, London, 1995; Corporate Image of


5. J. M. Thomas, W. J. Thomas,Heterogeneous Catalysis, VCH, Weinheim, 1997


6. T. Bastock, J. H. Clark, in Speciality Chemicals, ed. bB.Pearson, Elsevier, London, 1992.


7. R. A. Sheldon, J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol, 1997, 68,381


8. J. H. Clark, D. J. Macquarrie, Chem. Commun., 1998, 853


9. K. Smith and D. Bahzad, Chem. Commun., 1996, 467


10. C. J. Adams, M. J. Earle, G. Roberts and K. R. SeddomChem. Commun., 1998,2097.


11. J. H. Clark, D. J. Macquarrie, Org. Process Res. Dev.,1997, 1, 149.


12. J. H. Clark, Catalysis of Organic Reactions by Supportedlnorganic Reagents, VCH, New York, 1994


13. Lacey & H. Kaya (eds.) (2000) Field Manual of Techniques for the Evaluation of Entomopathogens Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, NL, 911


14. Copping L.G. (ed.), The Manual of Biocontrol Agents 4th Ed.. British Crop Production Council (BCPC), Farnham, Surrey, UK; 851, 2009


15. H. D. Burges, (ed.) 1998 Formulation of Microbial Biopesticides, beneficial microorganisms, nematodes and seed treatments Publ. Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, 412