WELCOME

BIOPESTICIDES AND THEIR USES

 INTRODUCTION
➢ Biopesticide is a formulation made from naturally occurring
substances that controls pests by non toxic mechanisms and in
ecofriendly manner.

➢ Biopesticides may be derived from animals (e.g. nematodes), plants

(Chrysanthemum, Azadirachta) and micro-organisms (e.g. Bacillus
thuringiensis, Trichoderma, nucleopolyhedrosis virus), and include
living organisms (natural enemies) etc.

➢ However, biopesticides are generally less toxic to the user and are
non-target organisms, making them desirable and sustainable tools for
disease management.
 Advatages of biopesticides

✓ Inherently less harmful and less environmental load,

✓ Designed to affect only one specific pest or, in some cases, a few
target organisms,

✓ Often effective in very small quantities and often decompose quickly,

thereby resulting in lower exposures and largely avoiding the
pollution problems .

✓ When used as a component of Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

programs, biopesticides can contribute greatly.
 Types of biopesticides

• Microbial pesticides
• Plant-incorporated-protectants (PIPs)
• Biochemical pesticides
• Botanical pesticides
• Biotic agents (parasitoids and predators)
 Microbial Pesticides

• Microbial pesticides are composed of microscopic living organisms

(viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, or nematodes) or toxin produced by
these organisms

• Applied as conventional insecticidal sprays, dusts, or granules.

• Their greatest strength is their specificity as most are essentially

nontoxic and non pathogenic to animals and humans.

• Microbial pesticides includes insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and

growth regulators of microbial origin.
 Some of the important microbial pesticides
a. Bacillus thuringiensis
• Discovered in Japan in early 20th century and first become a
commercial product in France in 1938.

• Control lepidopterous pests like

American bollworm in cotton
and stem borers in rice.
Fig: Bacillus thuringiensis
• When ingested by pest larvae, Bt releases toxins which damage the
mid gut of the pest, eventually killing it.
• Main sources for the production of Bt preparations are the strains of
the subspecies kurstaki, galeriae and dendrolimus
 b. Agrobacterium radiobacter (Agrocin)

•Agrobacterium radiobacter is used to treat roots during transplanting,

that checks crown gall.

•Crown gall is a disease in peaches, grapevine, roses and various plants

caused by soil borne pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciensm.

•The effective strains of A. radiobacter posses two important features:

✓They are able to colonize host roots to a higher population density.
✓They produce an antibiotic, agrocin, that is toxic to A. tumefaciens.
c. Pseudomonas fluorescens (Phenazine)
•This bacteria is used to control damping off caused by Pythium sp.,
Rhizoctonia solani, Gaeumannomyces graminis.

•It has ability to grow quickly in the rhizosphere

d. Trichoderma Fig: Pseudomonas

•Trichoderma is a fungicide effective against soil born diseases such as
root rot.

•This is also used against Necteia

galligena, that causes silver leaf
disease of fruit trees by entering
through pruning wounds.
Fig. spores of Trichoderma
e. Metarizium anisopliae
•It infects spittlegbugs, rhinoceros beetles.

f. Beauveria bassiana
• Controls Colorado potato beetle.

g. Verticillum lecanii: Fig: Metarhizium anisopliae

•Controls aphids and whiteflies.

h. Nomuraea riley:
• Controls soybean caterpillars.

i.Baculoviruses(Bvs)
• Control lepidopterous and hymenopterous pests. Fig:Beauveria
•Rod shaped, circular double stranded super coiled DNA.
 Plant-incorporated-protectants (PIPs)
• Pesticidal substances that plant produce from the genetic material that
has been added to the plant.
• As the pest feed on such plants they will eventually die.
Botanical pesticides:
• These are naturally occurring plant material that may be crude
preparation of the plant parts ground to produce a dust or powder that
can be used in full strength or dilute form in a carrier such as clay, talc
or diatomaceous earth.
• “Azadirachtin” effects the reproductive and digestive procees of pest.
• Several plant based insecticides as nicotinoids, natural pyrethrins,
rotenoids, neem products etc are used.
Important botanical pesticides

Fig: Neem oil

Fig: Rotenone

Fig: Tobacco suspension

 4.Biochemical pesticides
• They are naturally occurring substance to control pest by non-toxic
mechanisms.
• Biochemical pesticides include substances as insect sex pheromones,
that interfere with
mating that attract insect pest
to traps.

• The synthetic attractants-

are used in one of four ways: Fig:weevil pheromone trap
i. As a lure in traps used to monitor pest populations;
ii. As a lure in traps designed to “trap out” a pest population;
iii. As a broadcast signal intended to disrupt insect mating
iv. As an attractant in a bait containing an insecticide
 Biotic agents/Natural enemies
Predators
• They consume several to many prey over the course of their
development, they are free living and they are usually as big as or
bigger than their prey.
lady beetles, rove beetles, many ground beetles, lacewings, true bugs
such as Podisus and Orius, syrphid fly larvae, mantids, spiders, and
mites such as Phytoseiulus and Amblyseius.
•

• ftf

Fig:lady bird beetle

Fig: Lacewings
 Parasitoids
• Parasitoids are almost the same size as their hosts, and their
development always kills the host insect.
• An adult parasitoid deposits one or more eggs into or onto the body of
a host insect or somewhere in the host’s habitat.
• The larva that hatches from each egg feeds internally or externally on
the host’s tissues and body fluids, consuming it slowly.
• Later in development, the host dies and the parasitoid pupates inside
or outside of the host’s body.
• Bathyplectes, trichogramma, encarsia, muscidifurax etc.

Fig: Trichogramma
 Conclusion
• Biopesticides are typically microbial biological pest control that are
applied in a manner similar to chemical pesticides.
• Available in different formulations
• Also used to control soil borne and seed borne fungal pathogens
• Disadvantages of them are, high specificity, slow speed of action and
their requirement of suitable condition for their survival.
• Eventhough, biopesticides are best for controlling the pests of
agriculture then the chemicals
• Therefore there should be more works on production on biopesticides
and encourage people to use biopesticides to control the pests.
THANK YOU
 Introduction

Biofertilizer are microorganisms that help

plants to grow by increasing the quantity of
nutrients.

Biofertilizer are defined as preparations

containing living cells or latent cells of
efficient strains of microorganisms that help
crop plants for the uptake of nutrients by their
interactions in the rhizosphere.
 Importance of Biofertilizer

Increasing Harvest Yields

Average increase crop yields by 20 to 30 percent.
Algae-based fertilizers have improved yields in rice at rates ranging between
10 and 45 %.

 Improving Soil structure:

Use of microbial bio fertilizers improves the soil structure by influencing the
aggregation of the soil particles

Better water relation

Arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization induces drought tolerance in plants by :
improving leaf water and turgor potential,
maintaining stomatal functioning and transpiration
increasing root length and development.
Importance….Contd

Lowering Production Costs

Made from easily obtained organic materials such as rice husks, soil, bamboo,
and vegetables etc.
Reduce the input expenses by replacing the cost of chemical fertilizers.

Fortifying the soil

Aquatic cyanobacteria provide natural growth hormone, protein, vitamins and
minerals to the soil.
Azotobacter infuse the soil with antibiotic pesticide and inhibit the spread of
soil-borne diseases like pythium and phytophthora.

Improving Sustainability
Biofertilizer strengthen the soil profile,
 leave water sources untainted and
 Edify plant growth without detrimental side-effects.
 How does Biofertilizer work?
Fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil and root nodules of legume
crop and make it available to the plants.

Solubilise the insoluble forms of phosphates like tricalcium, iron

and aluminum phosphate into available forms.

Produce hormones and anti metabolites which promote root growth.

They scavenge phosphate from soil layers

Decompose organic matter and help in soil mineralization.

 Classification of Biofertilizers
S.N Groups examples
N2 fixing Biofertilizer
A
1. Free-living Azotobacter, Clostridium, Anabaena, Nostoc,

Symbiotic Rhizobium, Anabaena azollae

3. Associative Symbiotic Azospirillum

P Solubilizing Biofertilizer
B
1. Bacteria Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas striata

2. Fungi Penicillium sp, Aspergillus awamori

P Mobilizing Biofertilizers
C
1. Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Glomus sp. , Scutellospora sp..

2. Ectomycorrhiza Laccaria sp., Pisolithus sp., Boletus sp., Amanita sp.

3. Ericoid Mycorrhiza Pezizella ericae

Biofertilizer for Micro nutrients

D
1. Silicate and Zinc solubilizers Bacillus sp.

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria

E
1. Pseudomonas Pseudomonas fluorescence
The major microorganisms used as Biofertilizer are:

A.Nitrogen fixing Biofertilizers

Rhizobium
A soil habitat bacterium able to colonize the
legume roots

Fixes atmospheric elemental nitrogen

symbiotically into plant usable form.

Fixes 50-100 kg/ha/year of nitrogen, most

useful in concern with amount of N2 fixed.

It is especially important for legumes and

oilseeds.
Cyanobacteria
Both free-living as well as symbiotic cyanobacteria (blue green algae) have been
harnessed in rice cultivation.

The benefits due to algalization could be to the extent of 20-30 kg/ha.

Add growth-promoting substances & vitamin B12

Improve the soil’s aeration, water holding capacity and add to bio mass when
decomposed after life cycle

 Azospirillium
 Proliferates under both anaerobic and aerobic condition.

 Nitrogen fixing ability of 20-40 kg/ha

PGRs production (IAA), disease resistance and drought tolerance are some of the
additional benefits
Azolla
A free-floating water fern used as Biofertilizer for wetland rice

Fixes atmospheric nitrogen in association with nitrogen fixing blue green algae
Anabaena azollae

Known to contribute 40-60 kg N/ha per rice crop

Azotobacter
A free living bacteria mostly found in neutral to alkaline soils.

 Fixes the atmospheric nitrogen by converting into ammonia

Produces abundant slime which helps in soil aggregation.

Fix biologically active PGRs like IAA and gibberellins.

Phosphate solubilizing Biofertilizer:
Group of beneficial bacteria capable of hydrolyzing organic and inorganic
phosphorus from insoluble compounds

Pseudomonas, Bacillus and Rhizobium are among the most powerful

Seed inoculation of PSB- 30 kg P2O5 /ha

Phosphate mobilizing Biofertilizer (Mycorrhiza)
A symbiotic generally mutualistic association between a fungus and the roots of
a vascular plant.

The fungus colonizes the host plant's roots, either intracellularly or

extracellularly.

This association provides the fungus with access to carbohydrates

In return, the plant gains the benefits of the mycelium's higher absorptive
capacity for water and mineral
Plant roots alone may be incapable of taking
up phosphate ions that are demineralized in
soils with a basic pH

The mycelium of the mycorrhizal fungus can

make them available to the plants they
colonize.

nutrients

carbohydrates

Stress resistance

Mycorrhizal and non mycorrhizal barley Benefit for both partners

plants after colonization with
Cochliobolus sativus (Kogel, Giessen)
Silicate and Zinc solubilizing Biofertilizer
Microorganisms are capable of degrading silicates and aluminum silicates

Bacillus sp can be used as bio-fertilizer for zinc or aluminum silicates

because these organisms solubilize the zinc present in the soil and make it
available to the plants.

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR)

Species of Pseudomonas and Bacillus can produce phytohormones or growth
promoters.

They produce include indole-acetic acid, cytokinins, gibberellins and

inhibitors of ethylene production
 Role of Biofertilizers in soil fertility and Agriculture

1. They supplement chemical fertilizers for meeting the integrated

nutrient demand of the crops.
2. They can add 20-200 kg N/ha year (eg. Rhizobium sp 50-100 kg
N/ha year ; Azospirillum, Azotobacter : 20-40 kg N/ha /yr; Azolla
: 40-80 kg N/ha; BGA :20-30 kg N/ha) under optimum soil
conditions and thereby increases 15-25 percent of total crop
yield.
3. They can at best minimize the use of chemical fertilizers not
exceeding 40-50 kg N/ha under ideal agronomic and pest-free
conditions.
4. Application of Biofertilizers results in increased mineral and
water uptake, root development, vegetative growth and nitrogen
fixation.
5. Some Biofertilizers (eg, Rhizobium BGA, Azotobacter sp)
stimulate production of growth promoting substance like vitamin-
B complex, Indole acetic acid (IAA) and Gibberellic acids etc.
6.Phosphate mobilizing or phosphorus solubilizing Biofertilizers / microorganisms
(bacteria, fungi, mycorrhiza etc.) converts insoluble soil phosphate into soluble
forms by secreting several organic acids and under optimum conditions they can
solubilize / mobilize about 30-50 kg P2O5/ha due to which crop yield may increase
by 10 to 20%.

7.Mycorrhiza or VA-mycorrhiza (VAM fungi) when used as Biofertilizers enhance

uptake of P, Zn, S and water, leading to uniform crop growth and increased yield and
also enhance resistance to root diseases and improve hardiness of transplant stock.
They liberate growth promoting substances and vitamins and help to maintain soil
fertility.

8.They act as antagonists and suppress the incidence of soil borne plant pathogens
and thus, help in the bio-control of diseases.

9.Nitrogen fixing, phosphate mobilizing and cellulolytic microorganisms in bio-

fertilizer enhance the availability of plant nutrients in the soil and thus, sustain the
agricultural production and farming system.
10.They are cheaper, pollution free and renewable energy sources.

11.They improve physical properties of soil, soil tilth and soil health in general.

12.They improve soil fertility and soil productivity.

13.Blue green algae like Nostoc, Anabaena, and Scytonema are often employed in the
reclamation of alkaline soils.

14.Bio-inoculants containing cellulolytic and lignolytic microorganisms enhance the

degradation/ decomposition of organic matter in soil, as well as enhance the rate of
decomposition in compost pit.
15.BGA plays a vital role in the nitrogen economy of rice fields in tropical regions.
Azotobacter inoculants when applied to many non-leguminous crop plants, promote
seed germination and initial vigor of plants by producing growth promoting substances.

16.Azolla-Anabaena grows profusely as a floating plant in the flooded rice fields and
can fix 100-150 kg N/ha /year in approximately 40-60 tones of biomass produced,
Plays important role in the recycling of plant nutrients.
 Conclusion
Biofertilizer have great role in increasing the crop production

They improve the soil health status and provide different growth promoting
hormones and phytohormones to the plant

Also do not leave the residual effects like that of the chemical fertilizers.

Hence the use of Biofertilizer could be the proper option for sustainable
agriculture.
References:

1. Bhatttacharyya, P. and Kumar, R. 2000. Liquid biofertilizer-current Knowledge

and Future prospect. National seminar on development and use of
biofertilizers, biopesticides and organic manures. Bidhan Krishi
Viswavidyalaya, Kalyani, West Bengal, November 10- 12.

2. Hegde, S.V. 2008. Liquid bio-fertilizers in Indian agriculture. Bio-fertilizer

news letter, pp.17-22.

3. Venkataraman, G.S. and Shanmugasundaram, S. (1992). Algal biofertilizers

technology for rice.

4. DBT Centre for BGA. Bio-fertilizer, Madurai Kamraj University, Madurai,

625021,T.N. 1-24.

5. Venkatashwarlu B. Role of bio-fertilizers in organic farming: Organic farming

in rain fed agriculture: Central institute for dry land agriculture, Hyderabad,
85-95 (2008).

6. Singh (Kalyani Publishers 2007) A Textbook of Biotechnology By R.C Dubey

(Published by S.Chand)
7. Vessey, J.k. 2003, Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria as bio-fertilizers.
Plant Soil 255, 571-586