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Agronomy
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Agrochemistry and Application of Natural Products to Agricultural Research: 2nd...
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Agrochemistry and Application of Natural Products to Agricultural Research: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Biosystem and Biological Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 3970

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Mayker Lazaro Dantas Miranda

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Instituto Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (IFMS), Campo Grande, Brazil
Interests: natural products; organic chemistry; essential oils; biologically active compounds; agrochemistry; chemical education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We cordially invite you to contribute your valuable insights and innovative findings to our upcoming Special Issue of Agronomy entitled “Agrochemistry and Application of Natural Products to Agricultural Research: 2nd Edition”. This Special Issue promises to be an exciting platform which will showcase groundbreaking research, novel discoveries, the use of natural products, and biological control agents in crop protection and the game-changing application of natural products.

By sharing your expertise, you will be contributing to the expansion of knowledge and the potential impact of natural products on critical challenges to agriculture.

To our readers, we promise an insightful collection of papers that explore the vast potential of nature to advance environmental well-being. This Special Issue aims to serve as a reference for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers who seek innovative solutions derived from natural sources.

Help us to uncover the potential of natural products and pave the way for a healthier and more sustainable future.

With warm regards,

Prof. Dr. Mayker Lazaro Dantas Miranda
Guest Editor

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

  • plant extracts
  • essential oils
  • chemistry of natural compounds
  • bio-based agricultural products
  • biological control of plant diseases

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 4649 KB  
Article
Design and Performance Study of a Terrain-Adaptive Fixed Pipeline Pesticide Application System for Mountain Orchards
by Zhongyi Yu and Xiongkui He
Agronomy 2026, 16(8), 816; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16080816 - 15 Apr 2026
Viewed by 555
Abstract
Mountain orchards in southern China are characterized by fragmented and complex terrain with a wide slope variation range (5~30°), which easily leads to uneven pesticide distribution and pesticide accumulation on gentle slopes. These issues give rise to core technical bottlenecks such as low [...] Read more.
Mountain orchards in southern China are characterized by fragmented and complex terrain with a wide slope variation range (5~30°), which easily leads to uneven pesticide distribution and pesticide accumulation on gentle slopes. These issues give rise to core technical bottlenecks such as low pesticide utilization rate, poor operational efficiency, and unclear atomization mechanism, hindering the optimization of pesticide application parameters, causing pesticide waste and environmental pollution, and restricting the sustainable development of the mountain fruit industry. To address this problem, this study designed a slope-classified pipeline layout and developed a high-efficiency fixed pipeline system for phytosanitary application in mountain orchards, featuring stable operation, low labor intensity, and easy intelligent transformation. Following the technical route of “theoretical design-atomization mechanism analysis-parameter optimization-laboratory verification-field application”, ruby nozzles with high wear resistance, uniform droplet distribution, and long service life were selected and optimized to meet the demand for long-term fixed pesticide application in mountain orchards. High-speed imaging technology was used to real-time capture the dynamic atomization process of nozzles, providing support for clarifying the atomization mechanism. Advanced methods such as fluorescence tracing were adopted to quantitatively evaluate key indicators including droplet deposition in canopies, and the system performance was verified through laboratory and field tests, laying a scientific foundation for its popularization and application. Field test results showed that the optimal spray pressure should not be less than 8 MPa. The XR9002 nozzle can generate fine droplets to achieve pesticide reduction while forming a stable hollow cone atomization flow. Fluorescence tracing analysis indicated that the droplet deposition on the adaxial leaf surface decreases with increasing altitude (presumably affected by wind speed), while the initial deposition on the abaxial leaf surface is low and shows no significant variation with altitude. Deposition on the adaxial leaf surface decreased with canopy height, while abaxial deposition was much lower (8.9–14.9%). This technology enables high-precision quantitative analysis of droplet deposition. The core innovations of this study are: clarifying the atomization mechanism of ruby high-pressure nozzles under pesticide application conditions in mountain orchards, constructing a slope-classified terrain-adaptive pipeline layout model, and establishing a closed-loop technical system of “atomization mechanism-pipeline layout-parameter optimization-deposition detection”. This study provides theoretical and technical support for green and precision pesticide application in mountain orchards, and has important academic value and broad application prospects for promoting the intelligent upgrading of the fruit industry in southern China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agrochemistry and Application of Natural Products to Agricultural Research: 2nd Edition)
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39 pages, 4820 KB  
Article
Evaluation of Effective Microorganisms (EMs) as a Biostimulation Tool for Enhancing Potato Health and Resistance Against Soil-Borne Pathogens
by Piotr Barbaś, Barbara Sawicka, Dominika Skiba, Hakiye Aslan, Barbara Krochmal-Marczak and Piotr Pszczółkowski
Agronomy 2026, 16(5), 591; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16050591 - 9 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1242
Abstract
Modern agriculture is undergoing a paradigm shift toward eco-friendly methodologies that enhance seed material quality while minimizing chemical inputs. This study evaluates the impact of Effective Microorganism (EM) exposure (variants E1 and E2) on the morpho-physiological parameters and phytosanitary health of potato tubers. [...] Read more.
Modern agriculture is undergoing a paradigm shift toward eco-friendly methodologies that enhance seed material quality while minimizing chemical inputs. This study evaluates the impact of Effective Microorganism (EM) exposure (variants E1 and E2) on the morpho-physiological parameters and phytosanitary health of potato tubers. The primary objective was to determine the efficacy of microbial priming in suppressing the infection rates of Streptomyces scabies (common scab) and Rhizoctonia solani (black scurf) across 14 genetically diverse cultivars. A three-year field experiment (2019–2021) was conducted using a split-plot design with three replications. The study analyzed the interaction between EM exposure times and the genetic resistance potential of the selected cultivars. Statistical analysis confirmed that pre-planting microbial treatments significantly inhibited pathogen development. EM applications (E1 and E2) reduced the infection rates of both S. scabies and R. solani through an “escape mechanism,” whereby treated tubers exhibited accelerated biomass accumulation and reached physiological maturity before peak pathogen pressure. Furthermore, treatments optimized the physiological state and vigor of the tubers, establishing a robust physiological barrier against soil-borne infections. The application of EMs proves to be a highly effective, non-invasive biostimulation method. A significant difference was observed in the responding varieties between EM treatments and the cultivars innate genetic resistance, particularly in cultivars with higher baseline resistance. The use of EM biostimulants significantly modifies the health of tubers, and the direction of these changes is strictly determined by the variety factors. The results suggest that microbial priming not only enhances plant growth kinetics but also induces systemic resistance, offering a viable ecological alternative to traditional chemical seed dressings in sustainable potato production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agrochemistry and Application of Natural Products to Agricultural Research: 2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 757 KB  
Article
Biofungicidal Activity and Antioxidant Properties of Essential Oils from Mentha pulegium and Cymbopogon citratus: Protection Against Lipid Oxidative Damage
by Irles J. M. M. da Silva, Cassia C. Fernandes, Jardel L. Pereira, Jaciel G. dos Santos, Yan R. Robles, Antônio E. M. Crotti, Teonis B. da Silva and Mayker L. D. Miranda
Agronomy 2026, 16(4), 453; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16040453 - 14 Feb 2026
Viewed by 619
Abstract
Essential oils (EOs) have gained attention as biodegradable biopesticides for sustainable crop protection. This study investigated the chemical composition, antifungal activity and antioxidant potential of EOs from Mentha pulegium (EO-MP) and Cymbopogon citratus (EO-CC) against Bipolaris oryzae, the causal agent of rice [...] Read more.
Essential oils (EOs) have gained attention as biodegradable biopesticides for sustainable crop protection. This study investigated the chemical composition, antifungal activity and antioxidant potential of EOs from Mentha pulegium (EO-MP) and Cymbopogon citratus (EO-CC) against Bipolaris oryzae, the causal agent of rice brown spot, including the first quantitative determination of IC50 values through standardized dose–response modeling and temporal evaluation of antifungal efficacy. Volatile profiles of both EOs were characterized by gas chromatography coupled with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Antifungal activity was evaluated in vitro by a poisoned food assay at six concentrations ranging from 9.375 to 300 µL per plate (0.469–15.000 µL/mL PDA medium). Mycelial growth inhibition was assessed after 7 and 14 days of incubation. Antioxidant potential was determined by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay while protection against lipid oxidative damage was evaluated through inhibition of lipid peroxidation by the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) method. Both EO-MP and EO-CC exhibited strong, dose-dependent antifungal effects and achieved complete inhibition of mycelial growth at ≥37.50 µL per plate (1.875 µL/mL PDA) and ≥18.75 µL per plate (0.938 µL/mL PDA), respectively. EO-MP showed high reducing capacity (its FRAP value was 1.45 Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity—TEAC) and high inhibition of lipid peroxidation (89.09%). Similarly, EO-CC exhibited a FRAP value of 1.55 TEAC and lipid peroxidation inhibition of 87.66%. These findings highlight the biofungicidal activity and multifunctional antioxidant-related properties of EOs from M. pulegium and C. citratus, supporting their potential application as eco-friendly tools for sustainable rice brown spot management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agrochemistry and Application of Natural Products to Agricultural Research: 2nd Edition)
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14 pages, 1284 KB  
Article
Edible Coatings Based on Bacterial Nanocellulose and Its Functionalization Extend Postharvest Strawberry Conservation
by María Julieta Moreno, Verónica Eugenia Ruiz, Exequiel Elías González, Marcos Gabriel Derita and María Eugenia Sesto Cabral
Agronomy 2026, 16(3), 310; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16030310 - 26 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 738
Abstract
Strawberry is a non-climacteric fruit with a short postharvest shelf life. Recently, edible coatings have attracted the attention of the food industry. Cellulose is the most abundant carbohydrate polymer on Earth, and is also a renewable natural material, biocompatible with food. This work [...] Read more.
Strawberry is a non-climacteric fruit with a short postharvest shelf life. Recently, edible coatings have attracted the attention of the food industry. Cellulose is the most abundant carbohydrate polymer on Earth, and is also a renewable natural material, biocompatible with food. This work aimed to evaluate the postharvest quality of strawberries coated with edible coatings based on hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) and bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) and its functionalization, using vegetal extracts with reported antifungal activity. Five treatments were applied on postharvest strawberries: C (control, with no coating); Cel (HPMC:BNC in a 95:5 ratio); EPAC (cellulose + Persicaria acuminata extract); EO (cellulose + Pelargonium graveolens essential oil) and CBZ (cellulose + carbendazim). Weight, firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, ripe index, respiration rate, ethylene production rate, and natural fungal incidence were measured. Furthermore, the C and Cel fruit surface was observed by SEM. Cel and EPAC treatments proved to be beneficial in maintaining the quality of the treated fruit during storage. Both coatings contributed to a lower weight loss and firmness. They also decreased the respiratory rate and the natural fungal incidence, delaying the senescence of the treated strawberries. These treatments can be alternatives to extend strawberry life postharvest. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agrochemistry and Application of Natural Products to Agricultural Research: 2nd Edition)
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