The rapidly growing human population has increased the dependence on fossil fuel based agrochemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides to produce the required agricultural and forestry products. This has exerted a great pressure on the non renewable fossil fuel resources, which cannot last indefinitely. Besides, indiscriminate use ofpesticides for pests (weeds, insects, nematodes, pathogens) control has resulted in serious ecological and environmental problems viz., (A) Increasing incidence of resistance in pest organisms to important pesticides. (B) Shift in pests population, particulary in...