Biosecurity Innovations for Pest Management in Agricultural Products

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Product Quality and Safety".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 595

Special Issue Editors

School of Agricultural Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
Interests: biosecurity monitoring and control measurements, including fumigants and fumigation practices; non-chemical pest control methods; quarantine treatment; alternatives to methyl bromide; pest eradication strategies
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Guest Editor
Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100123, China
Interests: postharvest biosecurity and quarantine treatment, including chemical and non-chemical technology, standards, and facilities to ensure biosecurity in international cargo movement; quarantine and pre-shipment use of methyl bromide alternative fumigants, including regulation, chemistry, toxicity, application, monitoring, and analysis of chemical residues in agricultural commodities; phytosanitary temperature treatment for fruits and vegetables; discovery of novel biomarkers and related diagnostic technologies required by phytosanitaton

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue emphasizes the new biosecurity innovations in pest management for agricultural products. Biosecurity is one of the important elements of sustainable agricultural practices that prevent the introduction and spread of pests and diseases dangerous to food security and environmental health. The goal of this Special Issue is to highlight the newest scientific developments and practical solutions supporting efficient and environmentally friendly pest management strategies in the protection of agricultural products.

We invite contributions that discuss novel technologies and methodologies for pest detection, prevention, and control, primarily targeting the reducing reliance on toxic chemical pesticides. We are keen on research involving low-toxicity or nonchemical pest control methods, quarantine treatments, integrated pest management (IPM), biological control agents, and the incorporation of sensor technologies and IoT systems for real-time monitoring and decision making. We also welcome papers on ways to improve pest resistance using genetic innovations toward promoting sustainable agriculture.

If in doubt, people are encouraged to send us an abstract for consideration to determine whether the paper is relevant to this Special Issue.

Dr. Xin Du
Prof. Dr. Tao Liu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • biosecurity
  • pest management
  • agricultural products
  • integrated pest management
  • quarantine treatments
  • biological control
  • Internet of Things
  • sensor technologies
  • sustainable practices
  • food security

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

14 pages, 1583 KiB  
Article
A Novel Approach for Fungal Control with Ethyl Formate in Barley and Its Impact on Germination
by Eman Barkat, Xin Du, Jun-Ran Kim, Zhengyan Wang, Byung-Ho Lee, Abrar Uaraboa, Esra Uaraboa and Bong-Su Kim
Agriculture 2025, 15(7), 748; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15070748 - 31 Mar 2025
Viewed by 315
Abstract
Fungi can degrade grain quality, produce harmful mycotoxins, and hinder germination in the post-harvest stage, resulting in significant economic losses. Ethyl formate (EF) is an efficient and eco-friendly fumigant for controlling pest insects in grains, horticulture, and quarantine treatments. However, there is a [...] Read more.
Fungi can degrade grain quality, produce harmful mycotoxins, and hinder germination in the post-harvest stage, resulting in significant economic losses. Ethyl formate (EF) is an efficient and eco-friendly fumigant for controlling pest insects in grains, horticulture, and quarantine treatments. However, there is a lack of research on the antifungal activity of EF and its degradation products on barley seeds. In this study, fifteen fungal species, predominantly Alternaria infectoria, were isolated and identified from seven Australian barley samples. Efficacy results indicated that EF significantly inhibited fungal growth at a commercial concentration of 2.4 mmol/L, except for Penicillium sp. 2, Fusarium chlamydosporum, and Rhizopus arrhizus. To control these EF-tolerant fungal species, the EF concentration was increased to 5 mmol/L, which achieved a 100% inhibition rate. The degradation product of EF, formic acid, effectively inhibited all EF-tolerant fungi, requiring only 0.08 mmol/L in the in vitro study. There were no significant differences in vigor and germination rates in barley treated with EF at concentrations of 2.5, 3.7, and 5 mmol/L. Additionally, EF treatments led to a significant increase in the barley root length from an average of 9.1 cm in the control group to 13.2, 13. 6, and 12.3 cm at 2.5, 3.7, and 5 mmol/L. The findings suggest that EF could be a suitable alternative fumigant to safeguard grain from fungal infestation, particularly in the context of advancing agricultural practices and improving seed germination quality. The degradation compound, formic acid, may contribute significantly to the overall antifungal function of ethyl formate fumigation, particularly in high-humidity environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosecurity Innovations for Pest Management in Agricultural Products)
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