Natural Products as Pesticides and Biostimulants in Agriculture

Dear Colleagues,

Increasing global demand for food security and the need to reduce agriculture’s environmental footprint have intensified the search for sustainable crop production strategies, and conventional synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, although effective, are increasingly linked to ecological degradation, pest resistance, biodiversity loss, and potential human health risks. Meanwhile, climate change, soil degradation, and emerging plant pathogens are placing unprecedented pressure on global agricultural systems, necessitating innovative and sustainable alternatives.

Natural products derived from plants, microorganisms, algae, and other biological sources are gaining increasing attention as promising tools for sustainable agriculture. These compounds exhibit diverse bioactivities, including pesticidal, antimicrobial, allelopathic, and plant growth-promoting effects, making them suitable candidates for use as biopesticides and biostimulants. Recent advances in biotechnology, formulation science, and metabolomics have further expanded the potential for the discovery and optimization of such compounds for field applications. Their integration into modern agricultural systems offers both opportunities for improved crop resilience and reduced chemical dependency.

This Special Issue aims to present advances related to natural products as pesticides and biostimulants in agriculture. We consider contributions addressing the discovery, characterization, mode of action, formulation, field evaluation, and regulatory aspects of natural bioactive compounds, as well as interdisciplinary studies exploring their integration into sustainable crop management strategies.

Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:

[Natural Products in Agriculture: Bridging Plant Immunity, Growth Promotion, and Pest Control]

[Biopesticides and Biostimulants from Natural Sources: Regulatory, Environmental, and Agronomic Perspectives]

[Sustainable Crop Protection Using Natural Products: Opportunities for Circular Agriculture]

[Marine, Microbial, Animal and Botanical Sources of Natural Agrochemicals: New Horizons for Sustainable Farming]

[Biostimulant and Pesticidal Properties of Medicinal, Aromatic, Bioenergy and Animal feed Plants in Modern Agriculture]

Dr. Nikoletta G. Ntalli
Prof. Dr. Azucena González Coloma
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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