Biopesticide

noun

/ˌbaɪoʊˈpɛstɪˌsaɪd/

A pest-control agent derived from natural biological sources — such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, or plant extracts — used as an environmentally safer alternative to synthetic chemical pesticides.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

As India confronts the twin pressures of soil degradation and pesticide residue in its export consignments, a calibrated shift towards biopesticides and integrated pest management offers a sustainable middle path that safeguards both farmer incomes and ecological health.

Synonyms

biological pesticidebioinsecticidebiocontrol agentmicrobial pesticidebiological control agentnatural pesticide

Antonyms

synthetic pesticidechemical pesticideconventional pesticideagrochemical

🌱 Word Family

biopesticide (n), biopesticides (n pl), biopesticide-based (adj compound), pesticide (n), pesticide (adj)

🔡 Root

Greek bios = life; Latin pestis = plague/pest; Latin caedere = to kill; -cide = killer-suffix

📜 Etymology

Compound of Greek bios ("life") + Latin pestis ("plague, pest") + -cide (from Latin caedere, "to kill").

🧠 Memory Hook

"Bio" (life) + "pesticide" (pest-killer): a pest-killer made from LIFE itself, not a lab chemical, think of friendly bacteria or neem oil fighting crop pests naturally.

🔬 Science & Technology 📖 Seen in: Biotechnology — GM Crops, CRISPR, Regu...

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