Biopesticide

Biopesticides include “naturally occurring substances that control pests (biochemical pesticides), microorganisms that control pests (microbial pesticides), and pesticidal substances produced by plants containing added genetic material (plant-incorporated protectants) or PIPs.”

Advantages

1. Do not leave harmful residues
2. Substantially reduced impact on non-target species
3. Can be cheaper than chemical pesticides when locally produced.
4. Can be more effective than chemical pesticides in the long-term

Disadvantages

1. High specificity, which will require an exact identification of the pest/pathogen and may
2. require multiple pesticides to be used
3. Often slow speed of action (thus making them unsuitable if a pest outbreak is an immediate threat to a crop)
4. Often variable efficacy due to the influences of various biotic and abiotic factors (since biopesticides are usually living organisms, which bring about pest/pathogen control by multiplying within the target insect pest/pathogen)
5. Living organisms evolve and increase their resistance to biological, chemical, physical or any other form of control. If the target population is not exterminated or rendered incapable of reproduction, the surviving population can acquire a tolerance of whatever pressures are brought to bear, resulting in an evolutionary arms race.