Biocontrol Research in India

Abstract

Management of agricultural production systems on a sustainable basis is one of the basic challenges confronting the eventual fate of mankind as the total population is rising extraordinarily. Protection against pests and diseases in crops has an apparent role to play to meet the rising demand for food quality and quantity. The yield losses incurred due to various pests, pathogens, and weeds altogether are estimated to be ranging between 20% and 40% of global agricultural production. To cope up with the growing food demand, synthetic pesticides were applied indiscriminately; but extreme use of synthetic pesticides has led to degradation of land, air, and water contamination along with resistance development in pest and pathogens as well as adverse impacts on natural enemies and humans. The growing demands to address food security with the maintenance of environmental safety have resulted in searching for alternative options such as biological control. From the mid-1970s, considerable research has been carried out in the field of biocontrol. Biocontrol agents such as Trichoderma, Beauveria, Verticillium, Pseudomonas, and Bacillus have brought a new change in the field of management of phytopathogens. A large number of biopesticides available in the market proves the tale of their immense popularity. Moreover, there are many success reports of pest and weed control by natural enemies. So overall it can be stated that biocontrol research in India has been carried out on a wide avenue and will reach extreme heights in future.