An Eco-Friendly Approach for Pest Management

Dear Colleagues,

The escalating global demand for sustainable agriculture has intensified the search for eco-friendly pest management strategies that minimize environmental harm while ensuring crop productivity. Conventional chemical pesticides, although effective, are increasingly associated with severe ecological and health consequences, including pest resistance, biodiversity loss, and contamination of soil and water ecosystems. In contrast, eco-friendly approaches such as botanical pesticides, microbial agents, pheromone-based traps, integrated pest management (IPM), and habitat manipulation offer promising alternatives that are both effective and environmentally sustainable. These methods promote ecological balance, enhance soil and plant health, and reduce reliance on synthetic inputs, aligning with global goals for food security and environmental protection.

This Special Issue, "An Eco-Friendly Approach for Pest Management," aims to showcase innovative research and practical applications that advance sustainable pest control. We invite original research articles, reviews, and case studies that explore biological, ecological, and technological solutions to pest problems across diverse agroecosystems. The Special issue aligns closely with the journal’s mission to promote green technologies and sustainable practices in agriculture and environmental science. We welcome contributions that support the transition to safer, science-based, and ecologically sound pest management systems.

The aim of this Special Issue is to compile recent advances and innovative strategies in eco-friendly pest management, highlighting practical applications, mechanistic insights, and comparative evaluations of sustainable alternatives to chemical pesticides. This Special Issue invites original research articles, reviews, and case studies that address ecological, biochemical, molecular, and technological approaches for pest control in agroecosystems. The subject matter directly aligns with the journal’s scope, which focuses on environmental sustainability, agroecology, and the development of green technologies. By emphasizing integrative and nature-based pest control methods, this Special Issue contributes to advancing environmentally sound agricultural practices and promoting a healthier, more resilient ecosystem.

This Special Issue encourages submissions that explore innovative, science-based, and environmentally sustainable strategies for pest management. Suggested themes include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Biological control using predators, parasitoids, and entomopathogenic microorganisms;
• Botanical pesticides and plant-derived compounds with pesticidal activity;
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies combining cultural, biological, and physical methods;
• Pheromone-based monitoring and mass trapping techniques;
• Host plant resistance and pest-resistant crop varieties;
• Microbial bio pesticides and bio formulations for pest suppression;
• Ecological engineering and habitat manipulation for pest control;
• Impact of eco-friendly pest management on non-target organisms and biodiversity;
• Field trials and case studies demonstrating real-world application and effectiveness;
• Policy, regulatory, and socio-economic perspectives on sustainable pest management adoption.

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.

Prof. Dr. Jianfan Sun
Prof. Dr. Lukasz L. Stelinski
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. Insects 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.

• eco-friendly pest control
• integrated pest management (IPM)
• biological control agents
• botanical pesticides
• sustainable agriculture
• pest resistance management
• agro-ecological practices
• microbial bio pesticides
• pheromone-based pest control and environmentally sustainable crop protection