Plant Essential Oils as Biopesticides: Applications, Mechanisms, Innovations, and Constraints

Abstract

The advent of the “Green Revolution” was a great success in significantly increasing crop productivity. However, it involved high ecological costs in terms of excessive use of synthetic agrochemicals, raising concerns about agricultural sustainability. Indiscriminate use of synthetic pesticides resulted in environmental degradation, the development of pest resistance, and possible dangers to a variety of nontarget species (including plants, animals, and humans). Thus, a sustainable approach necessitates the exploration of viable ecofriendly alternatives. Plant-based biopesticides are attracting considerable attention in this context due to their target specificity, ecofriendliness, biodegradability, and safety for humans and other life forms. Among all the relevant biopesticides, plant essential oils (PEOs) or their active components are being widely explored against weeds, pests, and microorganisms. This review aims to collate the information related to the expansion and advancement in research and technology on the applications of PEOs as biopesticides. An insight into the mechanism of action of PEO-based bioherbicides, bioinsecticides, and biofungicides is also provided. With the aid of bibliometric analysis, it was found that ~75% of the documents on PEOs having biopesticidal potential were published in the last five years, with an annual growth rate of 20.51% and a citation per document of 20.91. Research on the biopesticidal properties of PEOs is receiving adequate attention from European (Italy and Spain), Asian (China, India, Iran, and Saudi Arabia), and American (Argentina, Brazil, and the United States of America) nations. Despite the increasing biopesticidal applications of PEOs and their widespread acceptance by governments, they face many challenges due to their inherent nature (lipophilicity and high volatility), production costs, and manufacturing constraints. To overcome these limitations, the incorporation of emerging innovations like the nanoencapsulation of PEOs, bioinformatics, and RNA-Seq in biopesticide development has been proposed. With these novel technological interventions, PEO-based biopesticides have the potential to be used for sustainable pest management in the future.

In Vivo Bioassay of the Repellent Activity of Caraway Essential Oil against Green Peach Aphid

“…Baudry et al [88] observed that despite M. persicae showing avoidance behavior towards leek (Allium porrum), the plant did not exhibit repellent properties when used as a companion plant in bioassay studies [88]. Results like that align more closely with field observations, making them particularly valuable to the industry [85,89]. Research must transition from proof of concept (traditional laboratory methods) to practical utility (in vivo bioassay) to meet industry production and commercialization demands [90].…”

Occurrence, Risk Implications, Prevention and Control of CIT in Monascus Cheese: A Review

“…These oils exhibit antibacterial properties with the added benefits of being readily available, safe, and ecologically friendly. , The effect of plant essential oils on fungi is shown in Figure (by Figdraw). The presence of plant essential oils can disrupt the normal physiological activities of the bacterium and achieve bacterial inhibition by disrupting the cell wall, leading to the loss of protective functions, affecting the cell membrane structure to increase permeability, and inhibiting energy metabolism and the synthesis of protein macromolecules. , The chemical composition of plant essential oils is extremely complex, with the most abundant components being terpenoids. Furthermore, aromatic compounds, such as carvacrol, eugenol, and cinnamaldehyde, are of great interest because of their good antibacterial activity. , …”

Upgrading Strategies for Managing Nematode Pests on Profitable Crops

“…To overcome these constraints, intimate cooperation among researchers of various disciplines/countries is expected. They can integrate PPN control measures with emerging innovations such as the bioinformatics [110], soil microbiota [111], volatile organic compounds as cues to strengthen biocontrol strategies of pests [112], nanoencapsulation of nematicides [113], and RNA-Seq in biopesticide development [39,110,114]. PPN management strategies motivated by bioinformatics can map the reactions of the active ingredients (AIs) in biopesticides with their target pests to tackle multiple diseases [114].…”