Green Chemistry for Pest Management

Crop losses due to insect pests can be economically devastating to farmers and lead to the risk of food shortages. Pest-vectored disease can cause significant economic shortfalls and decimate public health by causing significant morbidity and mortality, especially in economically disadvantaged populations and those in neglected, developing regions. Traditionally, synthetic pesticides have been utilized to reduce these grave agricultural and public health concerns. However, pesticide overuse and misuse have led to widespread pesticide resistance and select environmental impacts that limit their long-term utility. Therefore, it is necessary to find new control approaches and chemistries that can reduce pest pressure sustainably without adverse environmental impacts. Green Chemistry for Pest Management addresses the known examples of utilizing natural chemistry and other non-traditional methods to control pest insects, plants and rodents. Natural pesticides from plant, microbiological and animal sources are discussed, as is the use of natural products as lead compounds for the synthesis of biorational and semisynthetic pesticides.