title: Essential Oils as Ecofriendly Biopesticides? Challenges and Constraints.
abstract: Recently, a growing number of plant essential oils (EOs) have been tested against a wide range of arthropod pests with promising results. EOs showed high effectiveness, multiple mechanisms of action, low toxicity on non-target vertebrates and potential for the use of byproducts as reducing and stabilizing agents for the synthesis of nanopesticides. However, the number of commercial biopesticides based on EOs remains low. We analyze the main strengths and weaknesses arising from the use of EO-based biopesticides. Key challenges for future research include: (i) development of efficient stabilization processes (e.g., microencapsulation); (ii) simplification of the complex and costly biopesticide authorization requirements; and (iii) optimization of plant growing conditions and extraction processes leading to EOs of homogeneous chemical composition.
authors: Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507, 161 06, Prague 6, Czech Republic.
authors: Roman
authors: R
authors: Pavela
authors: Department of Agriculture, Food, and Environment, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: g.benelli@sssup.it.
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Benelli
mesh_terms: D061046:Biological Control Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000378:metabolism; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000378:metabolism*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D061046:Biological Control Agents; D001688:Biological Products; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils
keywords: botanical pesticides; microencapsulation; nanosynthesis; natural product research; stabilization processes