Potential of plant cysteine proteases against crop pests and animal parasites

Losses resulting from pest arthropods and plant or animal parasites present a significant threat to food security. The primary method for managing pests and parasites involves the use of pesticides and synthetic drugs. Nonetheless, these substances have raised concerns due to their detrimental effects on health and their decreasing effectiveness against resistant pests. Consequently, there is a growing interest in adopting more sustainable control methods. An alternative approach to pest control involves utilizing natural substances, specifically plant-derived molecules. Cysteine proteases (CPs), a type of hydrolase found in certain fruits and latex of plants like pineapple, papaya, kiwi, and fig, offer potential in this regard. These enzymes are renowned for their diverse industrial applications owing to their chemical properties. However, their application for controlling plant pathogen nematodes, insect pests, and animal parasites has received limited exploration. In this review, we examine several documented studies that highlight the potential of CPs in the control of these pests and parasites.