Eco-friendly biopesticides derived from CO2-Fixing cyanobacteria

Environ Res. 2023 Dec 15;239(Pt 2):117419. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117419. Epub 2023 Oct 16.

Abstract

There is currently an escalating global demand for the utilization of plant and natural extracts as pesticides due to their minimal health risks. Cyanobacteria are highly valuable organisms with significant potential in agriculture and are of great interest for the development of agrochemical agents as biopesticides. The flexibility and adaptability of Cyanobacteria to various environmental conditions are facilitated by the presence of specialized enzymes involved in the production of biologically active diverse secondary metabolites, including alkaloids, lipopolysaccharides, non-protein amino acids, non-ribosomal peptides, polyketides, terpenoids, and others. This review focuses on the metabolites synthesized from cyanobacteria that have demonstrated effectiveness as antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal agents, insecticides, herbicides, and more. The potential role of cyanobacteria as an alternative to chemical pesticides for environmental conservation is discussed.

Keywords: Agricultural pests; Antibacterial activity; Antifungal activity; Biopesticide; Cyanobacteria; Secondary metabolites.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Biological Control Agents / chemistry
  • Biological Control Agents / metabolism
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Cyanobacteria* / metabolism
  • Insecticides* / chemistry
  • Pesticides* / metabolism

Substances

  • Biological Control Agents
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Pesticides
  • Insecticides
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents