Biorational insecticides in pest management

We present herein a review article of the latest developments of the biorational approaches in pest management appeared in the literature from 1997 to date. The proposed advantages of the biopesticides including their specificity, safety to non-target organisms, particularly mammals, and utilization in low, sometimes minute, amounts have led to an intensive research program by public and private institutions resulting in an avalanche of reports in attempts to discover and develop newer and safer pesticides, particularly in the past three decades. This review is divided into three main chapters, including microbial insecticides in pest control, utilization of semiochemicals, and botanical insecticides, paying particular attention to those practical approaches that are respectful to the environment. (C) Pesticide Science Society of Japan.