Abstract:

 Microbial pesticides are increasingly used in agriculture as a sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides, offering enhanced target specificity and minimal environmental impact. Their application is particularly significant in rice production, which provides effective control of important insect pests such as stem borers, leaf folders, and planthoppers without disrupting ecological balance. The development and adoption of microbial insecticides support green agricultural practices, and many products have achieved commercial success since their introduction. This review focuses on the current status of bacterial, fungal, viral, and metabolite-based microbial insecticides, with an emphasis on their use in rice insect pest management. It also addresses key technical and operational challenges and discusses future directions aligned with the goals of sustainable crop protection.

Key words: microbial insecticides, insect pest control, Bacillus thuringiensis, entomopathogenic fungi, baculoviruses