Role and perspective of phytochemicals in pest management in India.

摘要

Indian plants represent a rich source of phytochemicals for biopesticides and raw material for agro-industries. Among them, neem (Azadirachta indica) has been in the limelight in recent years as it has been exploited for commercial products and found suitable for environmental protection. Plant products are biodegradable leaving no residues on plants; effective against insects, plant pathogens, nematodes and non-insect pests; and cheaper, non-polluting, easy to prepare and compatible with several biopesticides and synthetic pesticides. They are therefore recommended for large scale application in agriculture in general and plant protection in particular.