The development, regulation and use of biopesticides for Integrated Pest Management

Over the past 50 years, crop protection has relied heavily on synthetic chemical pesticides but 15

their availability is now declining as a result of new legislation and the evolution of resistance 16

in pest populations. Therefore, alternative pest management tactics are needed. Biopesticides 17

are pest management agents based on living microorganisms or natural products. They have 18

proven potential for pest management and they are being used across the world. However, 19

they are regulated by systems designed originally for chemical pesticides that have created 20

market entry barriers by imposing burdensome costs on the biopesticide industry. There are 21

also significant technical barriers to making biopesticides more effective. In the European 22

Union, a greater emphasis on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) as part of agricultural 23

policy may lead to innovations in the way that biopesticides are regulated. There are also new 24

opportunities for developing biopesticides in IPM by combining ecological science with post- 25

genomics technologies. The new biopesticide products that will result from this research will 26

bring with them new regulatory and economic challenges that must be addressed through 27

joint working between social and natural scientists, policy makers and industry.