Greater efforts are needed to promote biopesticides

There are a number of environmental and economic reasons to promote the development and use of biological compounds as pesticides. A new analysis finds that there are fewer biopesticides registered in the European Union (EU) compared with the United States, India, Brazil, and China.

The relatively low level of biopesticide research in the EU relates to the greater complexity of EU-based biopesticide regulations compared with other countries. Differences between regions mean an uneven advancement of biopesticide technology and hence missed opportunities for improvement.

"All in all, the five regions considered include about half of the planet's human population (comprising some 3.7 billion people and a total GDP of ~ $US 52 trillion), and so improving biopesticide regulation and research can, and undoubtedly will, enhance environmentally-friendly agriculture practice and performance on a global scale," wrote the authors of the Pest Management Science study.