Biosurfactants: Environmentally friendly pesticides

Biosurfactants are amphiphilic surface active molecules that are produced by microorganisms such as the bacteria, fungi, and yeasts. Nowadays, these compounds are highly regarded in pest management due to their low toxicity, biological decomposition, optimal activity in harsh environmental conditions and environment-friendly nature. Recently, the insecticidal activity of biosurfactants obtained from different bacterial species has been reported. Therefore, considering the role of biosurfactants in the production of new insecticides and the environmental management of pests, in this paper, the use of biosurfactants in controlling agricultural pests and the direct antimicrobial activities of these compounds against plant pathogens have been investigated. Also, how the immune system of plants is stimulated by rhamnolipids and lipopeptides, which leads to plant resistance against plant pathogens, has been investigated. So that further research in this field can lead to the replacement of these biological pesticides instead of synthetic ones, and in the future, the effects of these pesticides on pests' histology and the optimization of their production can be studied.