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Editorial

Vol. 43 No. 3 (2026): Revista de Ciencias Agrícolas - September - December 2026

From laboratory efficacy to field performance: closing the translation gap in botanical and microbial biopesticides

DOI
https://doi.org/10.22267/rcia.2026433.309
Submitted
September 15, 2026
Published
2026-09-15

Abstract

Botanical and microbial biopesticides are promising components of sustainable pest management, yet their laboratory efficacy often fails to translate into consistent field performance. This Perspective argues that the central bottleneck is not the discovery of biologically active agents alone, but rather the preservation and delivery of biological activity under variable agricultural conditions. Ultraviolet radiation, temperature, desiccation, rainfall, volatilization, and oxidation can reduce effective exposure, while formulation, storage, and application constraints further limit performance. Recent advances in microencapsulation, nanocarriers, controlled release, and foliar-targeted delivery offer opportunities to protect active ingredients and improve persistence. However, technological sophistication must be balanced against field efficacy, scalability, environmental safety, regulatory feasibility, and cost. In this note, we propose that next-generation biopesticides be developed as integrated delivery systems that consider the active agent, formulation, application technology, crop, target organism, and environment simultaneously.

References

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