Plant-Derived Bioactive Products for Sustainable Pest Control and Crop Protection

Dear Colleagues,

The overreliance on synthetic pesticides has accelerated the emergence of resistant pest populations, environmental contamination, and human health concerns, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable crop protection strategies. Plant-derived bioactive products (including essential oils and extracts) are powerful “green” tools that can reduce chemical inputs and support ecological balance.   

This Special Issue, titled “Plant-Derived Bioactive Products for Sustainable Pest Control and Crop Protection,” aims to showcase recent advances in natural-product-based approaches for integrated pest and disease management. We welcome studies addressing both insect and pathogen control in pre-harvest (field) and post-harvest (storage and packaging) systems. In particular, we encourage contributions focusing on mechanisms of action, innovative formulations, resistance management, and plant–microbe–insect interactions. Original research and review articles are invited to highlight cutting-edge advances driving the transition toward residue-free, environmentally safe, and evolutionarily resilient agriculture.

Dr. Sabrina Sarrocco
Dr. Prangthip Parichanon
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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy 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 2600 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.