Chemical and Biological weapons ARE vastly more powerful than nuclear weapons. If a nuke lands nearby you could survive. With either of the others you are dead, no matter what gear you have.
I wouldn’t put much stock in directed energy weapons, or plasma rays - none of those things are worse than nukes and nothing beats a DNA targeted Ebola-like plague ...
verticillum wilt and twig borers could do a number on an economy that relies on pistachios and almonds. Of course two can play that game.