Botanical insecticides, derived from plant extracts, essential oils, or other plant-based substances, offer a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to conventional chemical insecticides. These natural agents have been used in pest management for centuries and are valued for their effectiveness and reduced toxicity to humans, animals and other non-target beneficial organisms. The active compounds in botanical insecticides disrupt insect physiology by affecting their nervous systems, altering feeding behavior, or interfering with reproductive processes, thereby serving as effective tools for insect pest management. This review paper highlights the potential of several prominent botanical insecticides, including pyrethrins, neem oil and rotenone, with a particular focus on their mechanisms of action, efficacy and safety. The growing popularity of plant-derived insecticides is largely driven by increasing awareness of the environmental and health hazards posed by synthetic chemicals. Consequently, botanical insecticides are gaining attention as a key component of sustainable agricultural practices. In addition to their advantages, the paper also addresses challenges associated with the use of botanical insecticides, such as issues related to formulation stability, variability in effectiveness due to environmental factors and the potential development of pest resistance. Understanding and overcoming these limitations is essential for improving the reliability and widespread adoption of botanicals in integrated pest management (IPM) systems. Overall, botanical insecticides represent a promising and environmentally sound strategy for pest management and continued research in this area will be vital to maximizing their potential and ensuring their effectiveness in modern agriculture

Botanical Insecticides, IPM, Plant derived compounds, Sustainable agriculture

Botanical pesticides are an efficient and environmentally friendly substitute for traditional chemical pesticides. They are useful instruments in contemporary agriculture because of their selective toxicity and compatibility with Integrated Pest Management (IPM). To increase their effectiveness and encourage wider adoption in sustainable pest management practices, it will be essential to address present issues like formulation stability and environmental variability through ongoing research

Pawar Shubham Tarasing, Sajad Mohi-ud-din, Mudasir Gani, Mohd. Firdoos, Kuldeep Srivastava and Akhtar Ali Khan (2025). Botanical Insecticides: A Sustainable Alternative for Eco-Friendly Insect Pest Management. Biological Forum, 17(7): 201-208