Research Progress in Biocontrol Agents, Biopesticides and Eco-Friendly Crop Protection

Dear Colleagues,

The excessive and indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides has led to serious environmental concerns, including pesticide resistance in pests, adverse effects on non-target organisms, loss of biodiversity, and risks to human health. In response, the development and application of biological control agents, biopesticides, and environmentally friendly crop protection strategies have become central to sustainable agriculture and integrated pest management (IPM) programs worldwide.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the latest developments in biological and natural solutions for managing agricultural pests, with a focus on environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional chemical pesticides. Topics of interest include the use of natural enemies (predators and parasites), insect-pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses, and nematodes), microbial and plant biopesticides, plant and microbial-derived secondary metabolites, and host plant resistance. The focus will be on understanding the mechanisms of action, effectiveness in laboratory and field conditions, installation and delivery techniques, and integration into sustainable crop protection systems.

Contributions focusing on novel bioactive compounds, microbial control, biological control agents, and biopesticides are particularly welcomed. In addition, studies highlighting the contribution of eco-friendly pest management approaches to improved crop productivity, environmental sustainability, and agricultural resilience are also within the scope of this Special Issue.

This Special Issue seeks to provide a multidisciplinary platform for researchers, agricultural engineers, and practitioners to exchange knowledge and promote the adoption of sustainable and innovative crop protection strategies.

Article Types:

Original Research Articles.

Review Articles.

We especially encourage interdisciplinary studies that bridge entomology, plant pathology, agronomy, ecology, and environmental science to address complex pest management challenges.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.

Dr. Moataz A. M. Moustafa
Dr. Mona Awad
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. AgriEngineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.