Natural Products in Crop Protection

Authors: Dayan, Franck; Cantrell, Charles; Duke, Stephen

Submitted to: Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/22/2009
Publication Date: 6/1/2009
Citation: Dayan, F.E., Cantrell, C.L., Duke, S.O. 2009. Natural Products in Crop Protection. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry. 17:4022-4034.

Interpretive Summary: The success of modern agricultural practices is due in part to discovery and adoption of chemicals for pest control. Indeed, the tremendous increase in crop yields associated with the ‘green’ revolution would not have been achieved without the contribution of these synthetic compounds. The abundance of high quality food in developed nations has all but eliminated concerns about access to food in these countries. However, concerns over the potential impact of pesticides on the environment has now become more pressing and more stringent pesticide registration procedures, such as the Food Quality Protection Act in the United States, have been introduced. These new regulations have reduced the number of synthetic pesticides available in agriculture. Therefore, the current paradigm of relying almost exclusively on chemicals for pest control may need to be reconsidered. New pesticides, including natural product-based pesticides are being discovered and developed to replace the compounds lost due to the new registration requirements. New pesticides are also needed to combat the evolution of resistance to pesticides. This review covers the historical use of natural products in agricultural practices, the impact of natural products on the development of new pesticides, and the future prospects for natural products-based pest management. Products or compounds that might be used in organic agriculture are separated from those used in conventional agriculture, but not every product mentioned in the organic agriculture sections may be legally used as such in every country.

Technical Abstract: The success of modern agricultural practices is due in part to discovery and adoption of chemicals for pest control. Indeed, the tremendous increase in crop yields associated with the ‘green’ revolution would not have been achieved without the contribution of these synthetic compounds. The abundance of high quality food in developed nations has all but eliminated concerns about access to food in these countries. However, concerns over the potential impact of pesticides on the environment has now become more pressing and more stringent pesticide registration procedures, such as the Food Quality Protection Act in the United States, have been introduced. These new regulations have reduced the number of synthetic pesticides available in agriculture. Therefore, the current paradigm of relying almost exclusively on chemicals for pest control may need to be reconsidered. New pesticides, including natural product-based pesticides are being discovered and developed to replace the compounds lost due to the new registration requirements. New pesticides are also needed to combat the evolution of resistance to pesticides. This review covers the historical use of natural products in agricultural practices, the impact of natural products on the development of new pesticides, and the future prospects for natural products-based pest management. Products or compounds that might be used in organic agriculture are separated from those used in conventional agriculture, but not every product mentioned in the organic agriculture sections may be legally used as such in every country.