Use of Botanical as Cereal Crop Preservative: Effort towards Mitigating Climate Change

Cereals are a staple in most people's diets around the world and are consumed in both developing and developed countries. They are necessary for human nutrition, as they are used to make pasta, bread, cakes, and sweets, as well as for industrial and agricultural purposes. However, deteriorating agents such as molds, bacteria, and yeasts can infect them. Molds are the most common cause because of their moisture-dependent growth, but bacteria and yeast also play a role. Grains are predisposed to spoilage by bacteria or molds due to environmental conditions such as moisture, temperature, and pH, as well as grain properties and physical damage. Climate, as well as physical and chemical elements, influence grain cultivation and storage, which in turn influences the types and rates of microbial deterioration. Insect pests, such as beetle pests, moths, and mites, have a substantial impact on grain quality during storage. They induce weight loss, a decrease in nutritional content, odour changes, mold growth, and heat damage, rendering grains unfit for animal or human consumption. Botanicals, derived from plants, are used as natural insecticides for their therapeutic, medicinal, and pesticidal properties. These natural insecticides can be made into various forms, including cakes, powders, liquid extracts, and mesh bags. Due to the increasing food and environmental toxicity of conventional insecticides and pesticides, the use of botanicals is increasing to protect crops against bacterial, fungal, insect, and nematode diseases. Botanical pesticides can be chemically classified as alkaloids, flavonoids, essential oils, glycosides, esters, and fatty acids. There are four main groups of botanical pesticides currently used in agriculture: Pyrethrum, Neem-based pesticides, Rotenone, and Plant essential oils. These botanical pesticides are environmentally friendly, and their efficacy has been well documented by scientists and farmers. The economic burden of crop spoilage is significant, particularly in developing nations that are facing food shortages and malnutrition. This review is intended to stimulate upscaling of research on discovery and development of biopesticides, and understanding pesticides' multifunctional action is crucial for improving sustainability and the quality of botanicals used, which are affordable alternatives to prevent food shortages in developing nations.