Biopesticidas

Photo: John Obermeyer, Purdue Extension, Entomology (Purdue University) © Purdue News Service

SPOTLIGHT

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s an agricultural-industrial tool, biocontrol is representative of the refinements in environmental management that biotechnology can bring, demonstrating exemplary benefits over traditionally chemically synthesized offerings.

This issue of Industrial Biotechnology presents areport (p. 194) describing global biopesticide market opportunities and integral links to organic farming. A Methods and peer-reviewed Original Research paper (p. 209 and 213, respectively) each present work with implications for improved formulations of biocontrol agents.

Harnessing the natural capabilities of organisms and their molecular constituents to minimize crop and plant damage from pestsaffords the opportunity for protection and maintenance of biodiversity, commerce-strengthening alternatives for organic farming, and safeguarding of human health.

INDUSTRY REPORT

The biopesticide market for global agricultural use

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With the increased environmental awareness and the pollution potential and health hazards from many of the conventional pesticides, the demand fornature-based biopesticides has been increasing steadily worldwide. 1 Introduction Biopesticides offer several advantages over traditional his report provides an analysis of constituents of the biopeschemical/synthesized pesticides. They are often safer then conventicides industry, and discusses technological developments tional pesticides (which are usually hazardous chemicals). and emergingopportunities. Major objectives of this study Biopesticides can offer much more targeted activity against a desired include: pest, as opposed to conventional pesticides, which often affect a • Assessment of technology developments broad spectrum of pests along with bird and mammalian species. • Determination of factors driving demand Biopesticides often are effective in very small quantities thereby •Defining market size offering lower exposure. Furthermore, they decompose more quickly • Identifying factors influencing the biocontrol industry, thereby than conventional chemical pesticides, and can supplement the conoffering tools for strategic planning, marketing, sales, and techventional pesticides when used in integrated pest management (IPM) nology development programs, which offer potentiallyhigher crop yields and can dramatically reducing the use of conventional pesticides. 30,000 The popularity of biopesticides has increased ■ Biopesticides ■ Synthetic pesticides 27,144 substantially in recent years, as extensive and 26,600 26,076 25,000 systematic research has enhanced their effec24,205 tiveness. Also, techniques for mass production, 20,000 storage, transport, and application ofbiopesticides have improved to varying degrees in 15,000 recent years. A number of research centers worldwide are directing their efforts towards 10,000 the augmentation and application of biopesticides, with the ultimate objective of improving commercial biopesticide production and use. 5,000 This study examines commercial applica1,075 672 562 468 tions of biopesticides, markets, and growth 0 20052010 2003 2004 opportunities. The report is international in Source: BCC Research scope, analyzing the global biopesticide indusSOURCE: BCC RESEARCH try by end-use markets and also by major types of biopesticides used. Figure 1. Global biopesticides and synthetic pesticides market, 2003–2010

Yatin Thakore

194 INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY FA L L 2 0 0 6

$ millions

BIOPESTICIDE MARKET

2Research methodology
This report is based on primary and secondary research in addition to information contained in in-house databases. Primary research involved consultation with industry experts in the field, including companies actively involved in biocontrol, as well as trade associations. Secondary research referenced literature reviews, including trade journals, seminar proceedings, and...