Recent advancement in the development of biopesticides by actinomycetes for the control of insect pests

Abstract

Use, misuse, and abuse of synthetic pesticides have led to pesticide residue problems, environmental pollution, and disturbances in ecological balance by way of causing mortality to natural enemies. These problems forced scientists to look for newer avenues of managing the insect pest such as integrated pest management (IPM). Out of all the methods advocated in IPM, use of ‘green chemistry’ insecticides particularly from microorganism are of significant importance as they are ubiquitous in nature. Actinomycetes and their bioproducts are treasures of valuable products to mankind. In this chapter, actinomycetes producing products of insecticidal properties, their distribution, isolation, mode of action, and application of modern technologies such as quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) and gene sequencing for enhancing the insecticidal properties have been reviewed briefly.