An overview of trends in pest management and the need for a paradigm shift in technologies for the progression of entomopathogenic nematodes in managing crop health

Abstract

Global pesticide usage is 3.5 million tonnes at an average of 1.81kg/ha, while Indian usage is at 55,000 metric tonnes (2023) with an average of 0.517kg/ha. Compared to the pesticide market, the Indian biopesticide market remains small- cumulative annual biopesticide production at 9000 metric tonnes and a growth rate of 3-5% in consumption which is projected to reach a CGR of 8-10% by 2030. The utilization of biopesticides amounts to approximately 9% of overall pesticide use and is projected to increase to 50% of the total pesticide market by 2050. Among several microbial biocontrol agents, Entomopathogenic Nematodes (EPN) has been realised to be dependable IPM component against several insect pests. EPNs are soil-inhabiting beneficial nematodes that parasitize and kill insect pests, with immense potential for ecological services making them valuable tools in IPM. Worldwide, the demand for the development of EPN-containing products is mounting with several companies involved in their production, distribution and sales. India’s estimated demand for EPN is 24,000 metric tonnes, while the current production is 1800 metric tonnes from 25-30 firms. In India and other developing countries, the current EPN production and supply chain are in their infancy and operate as a cottage industry. The market is flourishing with products that are spurious, expensive, and unregulated due to the wide gap between demand and availability of EPN products. The authors present an overview of the status and prospects of EPN as an IPM component, contemporary and futuristic issues for the transformation of the upcoming EPN industry to a self-reliant, self-sufficient and profitable enterprise and accomplish better uptake of EPN individually or in IPM.