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Agronomy
Special Issues
Plant Disease Control: Pesticide Resistance Management and Eco-Friendly Alternatives
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Plant Disease Control: Pesticide Resistance Management and Eco-Friendly Alternatives

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Pest and Disease Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2026 | Viewed by 3529

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Alina Pǎunescu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Natural Sciences, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Pitesti University Centre, 110040 Pitesti, Romania
Interests: ecotoxicology; pesticide toxicity in animal cells; cell biology
Dr. Liliana Cristina Soare

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Natural Sciences, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Pitesti University Centre, 110040 Pitesti, Romania
Interests: plant anatomy; plant protection; pesticide toxicity in plant cells; plant extracts
Dr. Nicoleta Anca Sutan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Natural Sciences, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Pitesti University Centre, 110040 Pitesti, Romania
Interests: citogenotoxicity; cell biology; bioformulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The concept of ecological agriculture is a key component of sustainable agriculture, where the use of natural biocidal substances is recommended alongside other non-polluting conventional cultural practices. The knowledge of different groups of medicinal plants with wide applicability in allelopathic medicine has led to the development of modern methods for obtaining natural extracts that can be successfully used alongside classic pesticides in contemporary agriculture. The inhibitory effect of plant extracts against pathogens has been presented in various papers with encouraging results.

In these circumstances, this Special Issue focuses on the development of eco-friendly management methods against early blight. The use of herbal extracts in plant disease management is most significant for being an eco-friendly and cost-effective strategy.
This Special Issue will include the latest research on the use of biopesticides and other bioformulations in the fight against phytopathogens in agroecosystems.

Dr. Alina Pǎunescu
Dr. Liliana Cristina Soare
Dr. Nicoleta Anca Sutan
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 semimonthly 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.

Keywords

  • biopesticides
  • bioformulation
  • phytopathogens
  • plant extracts
  • eco-friendly methods
  • plant disease
  • chorology of plant diseases
  • ecotoxicity
  • biocontrol

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1592 KB  
Article
Antifungal Activity of Oregano Essential Oil Against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Race 1 and Fusarium Wilt Disease on Silk Banana Plants
by Marisol Oltehua-Vázquez, Syl Soledad Martínez-Bolaños, Victor López-Martínez, Caucasella Diaz-Trujillo, Mario Orozco-Santos, Moisés Roberto Vallejo-Pérez, Gilberto Manzo-Sánchez and Luciano Martínez-Bolaños
Agronomy 2025, 15(12), 2682; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15122682 - 22 Nov 2025
Viewed by 671
Abstract
Banana and plantain crops are essential for food security; Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (FOC), is one of the most devastating disease affecting these crops worldwide. The pathogen infects the radicular system and subsequently colonizes and collapses the vascular [...] Read more.
Banana and plantain crops are essential for food security; Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (FOC), is one of the most devastating disease affecting these crops worldwide. The pathogen infects the radicular system and subsequently colonizes and collapses the vascular tissue, leading to wilting and plant death. The aims of our study were to determinate the chemical composition of the essential oil from Origanum vulgare obtained by hydro-distillation, and to evaluate its antifungal activity against FOC race 1. GC/MS analysis identified 31 compounds in the oil. Eugenol (76.3%) and D-Limonene (6.13%) were the main components. Antifungal activity was evaluated in vitro and OEO inhibited the mycelial growth of FOC race 1 at 500 µL L−1. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC50 and MIC95) were 111.1 and 174.1 µL L−1, respectively. Fusarium wilt control evaluated in Silk banana vitroplants was analyzed by disease severity in the internal corm, controlled by oregano essential oil at 3000 µL L−1. OEO treatments had no detrimental effects on Silk banana vitroplants. This paper provides knowledge to use oregano-derived compounds to develop bioproducts aimed at the integral and sustainable management of Fusarium wilt in banana and plantain crops. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Disease Control: Pesticide Resistance Management and Eco-Friendly Alternatives)
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25 pages, 1717 KB  
Article
Fungicide Preharvest Application Strategies and Their Effects on Crop Yield, Quality, and Sprouting of Dried Onion Bulbs
by Ana Avilés-Quezada, Martín Fuentes-López, Alberto Guirao, Ander Solana-Guilabert, Huertas M. Díaz-Mula, Juan M. Valverde, María E. García-Pastor and Domingo Martínez-Romero
Agronomy 2025, 15(11), 2616; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15112616 - 14 Nov 2025
Viewed by 977
Abstract
Postharvest losses in onion (Allium cepa L.) bulbs constitute a major economic challenge globally, primarily driven by fungal pathogens and premature sprouting during long-term storage. Addressing these issues with effective preharvest strategies is critical for market stability and supply chain integrity. This [...] Read more.
Postharvest losses in onion (Allium cepa L.) bulbs constitute a major economic challenge globally, primarily driven by fungal pathogens and premature sprouting during long-term storage. Addressing these issues with effective preharvest strategies is critical for market stability and supply chain integrity. This study evaluated the effects of two preharvest fungicide strategies, i.e., T1 (dimethomorph + pyraclostrobin) and T2 (metalaxyl + mancozeb + copper oxychloride), on the crop yield, postharvest quality, and sprouting behavior of dried onion bulbs. Both treatments significantly reduced the incidence of foliar disease in the field and improved the crop yield of commercial bulbs compared to the control in two consecutive seasons. T1 achieved the highest yield (~76 and 88 t ha−1 in ‘Mata Hari’ and ’Recas’ onions). During storage at 20 °C for 84 days, in the ‘Mata Hari’ cultivar, the T1 bulbs exhibited the lowest weight loss and respiration rate, the lowest sprouting incidence (1%), and superior firmness retention and higher total soluble solids. In contrast, control bulbs exhibited accelerated weight loss and tissue degradation, with up to 95% sprouting. Pyruvic acid content, an indicator of pungency, was highest in T1 bulbs and increased significantly in sprouted controls, likely due to internal enzymatic activation and tissue senescence. The fungicides indirectly delayed dormancy release by delaying sprouting and internal stem axis formation. Overall, T1 was the most effective strategy for preserving onion quality during storage without using synthetic sprout inhibitors. These findings support the integration of specific fungicide programs into preharvest management to improve onion storability, reduce postharvest losses, and maintain commercial value in intermediate-dormancy dried onion cultivars, such as ‘Mata Hari’. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Disease Control: Pesticide Resistance Management and Eco-Friendly Alternatives)
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20 pages, 482 KB  
Article
Eco-Friendly Management of Root Lesion Nematodes Using Volatile Allelochemicals
by Gonçalo Pereira, Pedro Barbosa, Cláudia S. L. Vicente and Jorge M. S. Faria
Agronomy 2025, 15(7), 1605; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15071605 - 30 Jun 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1315
Abstract
Root lesion nematodes (RLNs) are major plant parasites causing significant global yield losses in a wide range of crops. Current management strategies largely depend on synthetic nematicides, which raise environmental and human health concerns due to their broad-spectrum toxicity and persistence in the [...] Read more.
Root lesion nematodes (RLNs) are major plant parasites causing significant global yield losses in a wide range of crops. Current management strategies largely depend on synthetic nematicides, which raise environmental and human health concerns due to their broad-spectrum toxicity and persistence in the ecosystem. Volatile allelochemicals offer a promising, environmentally safer alternative due to their biodegradability and lower toxicity to mammals. In this study, we assessed the nematicidal activity of five allelochemical volatiles—dimethyl sulphide (DMS), dimethyl disulphide (DMDS), trans-cinnamaldehyde (TCA), trans-2-decenal (T2D), and trans-2-undecenal (T2U)—against Pratylenchus penetrans, using direct-contact bioassays, in comparison with the conventional nematicide oxamyl. Additionally, we assessed their environmental behaviour and toxicity profiles through in silico modelling. At 1 mg/mL, TCA, T2D, and T2U exhibited strong activity against P. penetrans, outperforming oxamyl by up to 1.6-fold, while DMS and DMDS showed reduced activity. The environmental risk assessment revealed that these compounds have a lower predicted persistence and bioaccumulation compared with oxamyl or fluopyram, a new generation nematicide. Though these findings boost the potential of these compounds as sustainable alternatives for RLN management, field validation and testing with non-target organisms remain necessary for the development of biopesticides. Nevertheless, this study emphasizes the need for an integrated risk-based assessment in the selection of nematicidal agents, warranting efficacy as well as environmental safety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Disease Control: Pesticide Resistance Management and Eco-Friendly Alternatives)
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