Sustainable Crop Production and Pest Control

Dear Colleagues,

Currently, the need to produce safe and quality food and fiber has increased significantly, mainly due to the pandemic and war. In 2022, the world population reached a significant new milestone of 8 billion people. To meet the demand associated with this number, it is estimated that it will be necessary to increase food and fiber production by around 70%. The challenges to be faced in innovation are enormous, mainly due to phytosanitary problems caused by damage from the attack of insect pests. Currently, chemical control is the most used method; however, the search for more sustainable alternatives has intensified. In this context, the use of extracts and essential oils from bioactive plants has shown potential for the management of important pests of cultivated crops, with high efficiency and rapid degradation in the environment. In addition to these, the use of alternative measures such as behavioral control, the use of resistant varieties, and biological control using beneficial microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, nematodes and viruses, in addition to predatory insects and parasites, constitutes a promising sustainable alternative to pest control. Therefore, this Special Issue focuses on the role of alternative control measures in the management of agricultural and forestry pests. Thus, quality articles and reviews in the most diverse areas of research, such as agriculture, agroforestry, and the environment, are invited.

Prof. Dr. Leandro Bacci
Dr. Jefferson Elias da Silva
Guest Editors

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