Integrating Vrksayurveda with Biopesticides for Sustainable Pest Management

Abstract

Vṛkṣayurveda represents an important traditional Indian knowledge system that provides comprehensive principles for plant cultivation, nutrition, irrigation, disease management, pest control, and conservation of natural resources. In the context of increasing environmental degradation, soil deterioration, and ecological risks associated with excessive use of synthetic agrochemicals, traditional plant-based approaches offer valuable perspectives for developing sustainable crop protection strategies. This review explores the principles of Vṛkṣāyurveda and related Sanskrit agricultural literature, with particular emphasis on traditional methods of plant nourishment and pest management. Practices such as Kunapajala, botanical preparations, fumigation, plant extracts, organic formulations, and natural treatments documented in traditional texts are examined for their potential relevance to contemporary biopesticide research. Plant-derived materials including Azadirachta indica, Pongamia pinnata, Embelia ribes, Curcuma longa, Cyperus rotundus, and other botanicals have been identified as potential sources of bioactive compounds for pest and pathogen management. The review further highlights the opportunity to integrate traditional phytochemical knowledge with modern plant–microbe interactions, microbial biocontrol agents, and biotechnological approaches to improve the efficacy and sustainability of biological pest management. Such integration may contribute to reduced dependence on synthetic pesticides, improved soil and plant health, and environmentally compatible agricultural production. However, systematic scientific validation, including phytochemical characterization, toxicity assessment, dose optimization, microbial compatibility studies, and field-level evaluation, is essential before large-scale application. Integrating Vṛkṣāyurveda with modern microbiology, phytochemistry, and agricultural science therefore offers a promising interdisciplinary pathway toward sustainable pest management and climate-resilient agriculture.