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Agronomy
Special Issues
Pesticides Application and Remediation from the Environment
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Pesticides Application and Remediation from the Environment

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Farming Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 October 2022) | Viewed by 16997

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Pankaj Bhatt

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Purdue University
Interests: Environmental Microbiome, Microbial communities, Biofilm formation, Bioremediation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Pesticides are used globally to fulfill the large-scale food and feed requirements. Pesticides are mainly used in agriculture to increase the crop yield. The massive application of these xenobiotics in agriculture leads to their eventual release to groundwater bodies. In addition, pesticide residues enter the food chain, affecting both human and animal systems. Therefore, due to the huge application and risk associated with pesticides there is an urgent need to develop sustainable technology and conduct in-depth explorations of this important topic.

This Special Issue specifically focuses on the application of pesticides in agricultural systems and potential remediation strategies. Throughout the world farmers are using broad-spectrum pesticides to kill pests and protect crops from their attacks. Organophosphates, organochlorines, pyrethroids, and neonicotinoids are being used for agricultural practices.

The pesticides and their intermediate metabolites cause severe toxicity in living cells. Therefore, remediation of these pollutants from the environment is a priority. Physico-chemical and microbial methods have been discovered for the removal of pesticides from the environment. Microbial strains have been reported to be more environmentally friendly and able to promote sustainable development. Indigenous bacterial and fungal strains are able to convert pesticides into less-toxic and environmentally friendly metabolites. Various metabolic reactions such as transformation, degradation, oxidation–reduction, etc. take place due to microbial metabolism. Enzymes play an important role in the catalytic degradation of pesticides. Molecular docking, dynamics, and systems-biology-based approaches confirm the potential of microbial enzymes in the degradation of pesticides from the environment.

In this Special Issue we aim to enhance the knowledge about pesticide application and remediation strategies. We are eager to receive contributions from the international scientific community working on pesticide application, toxicity, and remediation.

Dr. Pankaj Bhatt
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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.

Keywords

  • pesticides
  • toxicity
  • microorganism
  • remediation approaches
  • contaminated sites
  • degradation pathways

Published Papers (6 papers)

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12 pages, 3406 KiB  
Article
Low Concentration of Rotenone Impairs Membrane Function of Spodoptera litura Cells by Promoting Their Aggregation
by Sukun Lin, Kaijie Xu, Qingpeng Zhang, Qiuming Zhu, Muhammad Musa Khan, Zhixiang Zhang and Dongmei Cheng
Agronomy 2022, 12(11), 2611; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12112611 - 24 Oct 2022
Viewed by 1191
Abstract
Rotenone is a widely used botanical insecticide, which can inhibit the mitochondrial respiratory chain of various insect cells, while the mechanism of its toxicity to insect cells needs further investigation. The purpose of this study was to understand the toxicity level of low [...] Read more.
Rotenone is a widely used botanical insecticide, which can inhibit the mitochondrial respiratory chain of various insect cells, while the mechanism of its toxicity to insect cells needs further investigation. The purpose of this study was to understand the toxicity level of low (0.2 µg/mL) and high (20 µg/mL) concentrations of rotenone in Spodoptera litura cells (SL-1) using trypan blue and Coomassie brilliant blue staining assays. Our study found that rotenone possessed cytotoxicity against SL-1 cells with varying effects of action between high and low concentrations. After low-concentration rotenone treatment, the SL-1 cells showed obvious aggregation time-dependently, with the fastest aggregation rate observed under the first 8 h of treatment time, but no such phenomenon was observed at high concentration. Furthermore, this aggregation phenomenon caused SL-1 cells to squeeze each other and led to the destruction of the cell membrane structure and function. Taken together, the results suggested that treatment with a low concentration of rotenone exhibited a chronic toxic effect that was significantly different from treatment with a high concentration of rotenone, which provides new insight into the cytotoxic mechanism of rotenone. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pesticides Application and Remediation from the Environment)
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10 pages, 298 KiB  
Article
Synergism of Neem and Karanja Oils against Colorado Potato Beetle Larvae in Field Conditions
by Kateřina Kovaříková, Petr Doležal, Ervín Hausvater, Martin Žabka and Roman Pavela
Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 3190; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12123190 - 15 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1366
Abstract
The increasing scarcity of active substances approved for use in plant protection is reflected in the growing effort to find suitable plant protection alternatives. Products based on plant oils could provide a promising environmentally friendly solution. In previous research in laboratory conditions, the [...] Read more.
The increasing scarcity of active substances approved for use in plant protection is reflected in the growing effort to find suitable plant protection alternatives. Products based on plant oils could provide a promising environmentally friendly solution. In previous research in laboratory conditions, the synergistic effect of neem and karanja oils on Leptinotarsa decemlineata (CPB) larvae was observed. The aim of this current study was to verify whether the synergistic effect would also be observed in field conditions. The active substances used included azadirachtin A (NeemAzal® T/S); in both a reduced dose of 10.6 g/ha and a normal dose of 26.5 g/ha (Neem1, Neem2), Pongamia pinnata oil (Rock Effect New–REN); in a reduced dose of 1987.6 g/ha, and a mixture of both reduced doses (MIX). The protective effect was expressed by a visual estimation of the damaged leaf area on the potato plant. The MIX variant was always among the least damaged variants throughout the experiments, while the control was always the most damaged variant. A synergistic effect was observed at site I in 2021 when the MIX variant was more than 10 times less damaged than the control; in other cases, it was around 3 times less damaged. Treatment with MIX provided a protective effect comparable to NeemAzal® T/S in the full dose. This mixture can therefore be used to expand the portfolio of suitable preparations against CPB larvae in potato production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pesticides Application and Remediation from the Environment)
23 pages, 2740 KiB  
Article
Changes in Bacterial and Fungal Community of Soil under Treatment of Pesticides
by Rostislav Streletskii, Angelika Astaykina, George Krasnov and Victor Gorbatov
Agronomy 2022, 12(1), 124; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12010124 - 5 Jan 2022
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3640
Abstract
Experiments were carried out in soil microcosms with the treatment of pesticide formulations—imidacloprid, benomyl, and metribuzin in single and tenfold application rates. For additional stimulation of microorganisms, a starch–mineral mixture was added to some variants. For all samples, high-throughput sequencing on the Illumina [...] Read more.
Experiments were carried out in soil microcosms with the treatment of pesticide formulations—imidacloprid, benomyl, and metribuzin in single and tenfold application rates. For additional stimulation of microorganisms, a starch–mineral mixture was added to some variants. For all samples, high-throughput sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq platform of the V4 (16S rRNA) and ITS1 (18S rRNA) fragments was carried out. As a result, it was possible to establish the characteristic changes in the structure of the soil fungal and bacterial communities under pesticides application. The application of pesticides was accompanied by dramatic shifts in alfa-diversity of the fungal community. The phylum Basidiomycota was likely to be involved in the degradation of pesticides. The changes in the relative abundance of the genera Terrabacter, Kitasatospora, Streptomyces, Sphingomonas, Apiotrichum, Solicoccozyma, Gamsia, and Humicola can be proposed as an indicator of pesticide contamination. It is suggested to use these markers for large-scale assessment of the effect of pesticides on soil microbial communities instead of classical integral methods, including within the framework of state registration of pesticides. It is also recommended to research the effect of pesticides on the soil microbiome during artificially initiated successions using the additional source of carbon. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pesticides Application and Remediation from the Environment)
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9 pages, 1132 KiB  
Article
Temporal Rhythm Affects the Efficiency of Asian Citrus Psyllid (Diaphorina citri) to Acquire Huanglongbing Pathogen
by Yan-Jun Guo, Yi-Han Li, Zheng-Qin Su, Pei-Ping Xu, Bao-Li Qiu, Qian-Hua Ji and Muhammad Musa Khan
Agronomy 2021, 11(10), 1956; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11101956 - 29 Sep 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2049
Abstract
Huanglongbing, commonly known as citrus greening, is a devastating disease of citrus worldwide. Candidatus liberibacter asiaticus is the putative cause of citrus greening disease in China and is spread through the process of plant grafting and feeding by insect vectors. Asian citrus psyllid [...] Read more.
Huanglongbing, commonly known as citrus greening, is a devastating disease of citrus worldwide. Candidatus liberibacter asiaticus is the putative cause of citrus greening disease in China and is spread through the process of plant grafting and feeding by insect vectors. Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri) is a destructive pest due to insecticide resistance development and the main cause of dissemination of Huanglongbing. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of Huanglongbing present in Guangdong province and the acquisition of the pathogen by D. citri through feeding. Six different city areas of Guangdong province were sampled. The results demonstrated that Yunfu currently has the highest infestation rate of CLas in Guangdong province, followed by Chaozhou, Jiangmen, and Foshan. In comparison, Zhongshan and Maoming have the lowest infestation rates. Results also showed that CLas acquisition was directly proportional to the insect feeding duration. The longer an insect fed on an infested plant, the more CLas it acquired. The acquisition efficiency of the pathogen was higher at night compared to during the daytime. During the time period of 15:00–07:00 D. citri acquires more pathogens than during the period of 07:00–15:00. This study provides a basic understanding of the feeding pattern of D. citri, which aids in devising a management program for effective control of direct and indirect losses caused by D. citri. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pesticides Application and Remediation from the Environment)
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23 pages, 1826 KiB  
Review
Remediation of Pesticides by Microalgae as Feasible Approach in Agriculture: Bibliometric Strategies
by Gayathiri Verasoundarapandian, Zheng Syuen Lim, Syahirah Batrisyia Mohamed Radziff, Siti Hajar Taufik, Nurul Aini Puasa, Noor Azmi Shaharuddin, Faradina Merican, Chiew-Yen Wong, Japareng Lalung and Siti Aqlima Ahmad
Agronomy 2022, 12(1), 117; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12010117 - 4 Jan 2022
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4918
Abstract
Pesticide treatment dramatically reduces crop loss and enhances agricultural productivity, promoting global food security and economic growth. However, owing to high accrual and persistent tendency, pesticides could create significant ecological consequences when used often. Lately, the perspective has transitioned to implementing biological material, [...] Read more.
Pesticide treatment dramatically reduces crop loss and enhances agricultural productivity, promoting global food security and economic growth. However, owing to high accrual and persistent tendency, pesticides could create significant ecological consequences when used often. Lately, the perspective has transitioned to implementing biological material, environmentally sustainable, and economical strategies via bioremediation approaches to eradicate pesticides contaminations. Microalgae were regarded as a prominent option for the detoxification of such hazardous contaminants. Sustainable application and remediation strategies of pesticides pollutants in the agriculture system by microalgae from the past studies, and recent advancements were integrated into this review. Bibliometric strategies to enhance the research advancements in pesticide bioremediation by microalgae between 2010 and 2020 were implemented through critical comparative analysis of documents from Scopus and PubMed databases. As a result, this study identified a growing annual research trend from 1994 to 2020 (nScopus > nPubMed). Global production of pesticide remediation by microalgae demonstrated significant contributions from India (23.8%) and China (16.7%). The author’s keyword clustering was visualized using bibliometric software (VOSviewer), which revealed the strongest network formed by “microalgae”, “bioremediation”, “biodegradation”, “cyanobacteria”, “wastewater”, and “pesticide” as significant to the research topic. Hence, this bibliometric review will facilitate the future roadmap for many scholars and authors who were drawing attention to the burgeoning research on bioremediation of pesticides to counteract environmental impacts while maintaining food sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pesticides Application and Remediation from the Environment)
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17 pages, 665 KiB  
Article
The Dilemma of Fraudulent Pesticides in the Agrifood Sector: Analysis of Factors Affecting Farmers’ Purchasing Behavior in Egypt
by Hazem S. Kassem, Mohamed A. Hussein and Hamed Ismail
Agronomy 2022, 12(7), 1626; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12071626 - 6 Jul 2022
Viewed by 2155
Abstract
Fraudulent pesticides suggest a solemn risk to sustainable agricultural production, environmental sustainability, and human health due to their unrevealed composition and quality. Nonetheless, their large-scale utilization in the agrifood sector relies on many factors, such as personal, institutional, and legislative ones. This study [...] Read more.
Fraudulent pesticides suggest a solemn risk to sustainable agricultural production, environmental sustainability, and human health due to their unrevealed composition and quality. Nonetheless, their large-scale utilization in the agrifood sector relies on many factors, such as personal, institutional, and legislative ones. This study aimed to evaluate farmers’ perceptions of fraudulent pesticides and examine their marketability elements. The data came from 394 farmers’ structured questionnaires from Dakahlia governorate, Egypt. The factorial analysis revealed beliefs, health and environmental risks, quality recognition, price, and policies as the critical drivers for buying fraudulent pesticides. The cluster analysis disclosed two varied farmer segments—“conventional” and “conscious”—based on perception. “conventional farmers” signify 59.9% of the sample and reveal typical farmer behaviors and give more attention to factors such as beliefs and product price. Contrarily, “conscious farmers” symbolize a more sentient group about policy, product quality, and health and environmental issues. Significant differences (p < 0.01) occurred between the two segments, corresponding to their education, farming activity, farm size, and farming experience. The findings suggest reinforcing the extant pesticide laws and regulations’ administration mechanisms, implementing deliberate measures to increase public awareness of the consequences resulting from fraudulent pesticide use, and improving recognition behavior by detecting fraudulent pesticides with digital technologies among all stakeholders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pesticides Application and Remediation from the Environment)
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