Microbial biopesticides: opportunities and challenges

Pesticides based on microorganisms and their products have proven to be highly effective, species specific and eco-friendly in nature, leading to their adoption in pest management strategies around the world. The microbial biopesticide market constitutes about 90% of total biopesticides and there is ample scope for further development in agriculture and public health, although there are challenges as well. This article reviews the various microbial biopesticides that are commercially available, the different approaches for their production and development, the recent technological advances and the challenges faced by the microbial biopesticide field in the future.