Pesticide Chemistry, Toxicology and Insect Pest Resistance

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Pest and Vector Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 January 2026 | Viewed by 1054

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
Interests: nano-enabled agriculture; pesticide; fertilizer; toxicology; sustainability

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Guest Editor
Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-000, MG, Brazil
Interests: entomology; insecticide ecotoxicology; stored product insect ecophysiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to address evolving challenges in pest management by highlighting advancements in pesticide formulation, mode of action, toxicological profiles, and resistance mechanisms. Understanding novel pesticide chemistry is crucial to compliment increased regulatory scrutiny and public demand for sustainable agriculture that features interactions with target and non-target organisms. This Issue invites contributions that explore molecular and biochemical aspects of pesticide action, including novel synthetic and natural compounds; novel and sustainable formulations, including bio- and nanoformulations; synergistic agents; and detoxification pathways. Emphasis is placed on elucidating the genetic and environmental factors driving resistance in insect populations, as well as on strategies to mitigate resistance development through integrated pest management (IPM). By bridging chemistry, toxicology, and resistance management, this Issue seeks to foster innovations that enhance the efficacy, safety, and sustainability of insect management strategies in both agricultural and public health contexts. We welcome submissions of both original research articles and reviews.

Dr. Sandeep Sharma
Dr. Raul Narciso C. Guedes
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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

  • integrated pest management
  • pesticide resistance
  • insecticide toxicology
  • mode of action
  • sustainable formulations

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

24 pages, 642 KB  
Article
Comparative Toxicological Effects of Insecticides and Their Mixtures on Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
by Marwa A. El-Saleh, Ali A. Aioub, El-Sayed A. El-Sheikh, Wahied M. H. Desuky, Lamya Ahmed Alkeridis, Laila A. Al-Shuraym, Marwa M. A. Farag, Samy Sayed, Ahmed A. A. Aioub and Ibrahim A. Hamed
Insects 2025, 16(8), 821; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16080821 - 7 Aug 2025
Viewed by 891
Abstract
Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a major insect pest that severely affects various crops. Our study provides new insights by combining field efficacy trials with enzymatic analysis to evaluate the effects of emamectin benzoate mixtures with other insecticides (lufenuron, cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos, and [...] Read more.
Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a major insect pest that severely affects various crops. Our study provides new insights by combining field efficacy trials with enzymatic analysis to evaluate the effects of emamectin benzoate mixtures with other insecticides (lufenuron, cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos, and spinosad) against S. littoralis. The aim of our work was to investigate the effectiveness of five insecticides, i.e., emamectin benzoate, lufenuron, cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos, and spinosad, for controlling this pest under field conditions during two consecutive seasons (2023–2024). Each insecticide was applied individually at the recommended rate, while some were mixed with emamectin benzoate at half its recommended rate. The results indicated that emamectin benzoate was the most effective insecticide, followed by lufenuron. The joint action of emamectin benzoate (LC25) and its mixtures with other insecticides (chlorpyrifos, spinosad, cypermethrin, and lufenuron) at various concentrations (LC50) against second- and fourth-instar S. littoralis larvae was evaluated. Results showed additive effects with chlorpyrifos, lufenuron, and cypermethrin, while potentiation occurred with cypermethrin (LC50) and chlorpyrifos (LC50). Antagonistic effects were observed in the combination of emamectin benzoate with spinosad (LC25 and LC50). This study concluded that applying insecticides individually is more cost-effective for managing cotton leafworm infestations in cotton crops. Additionally, enzyme activity analysis showed significant changes in alpha-esterase, beta-esterase, carboxylesterase, acetylcholinesterase, and glutathione S-transferase levels in larvae treated with different insecticide combinations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pesticide Chemistry, Toxicology and Insect Pest Resistance)
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