Plant Extracts as Biological Protective Agents

Dear Colleagues,

Crop protection is key to global food sustainability and security (in line with Sustainable Development Goal 2 in the 2030 Agenda). Synthetic pesticides have traditionally been used by farmers to control and eradicate pests, but they have detrimental effects on the health of consumers and the environment. To ensure sustainable production patters (SDG Target 12.4) and increase food security, current legislative frameworks promote the use of integrated pest management. In particular, the use of plant extracts as “green agrochemicals” should be intensified. Plants produce a wide range of primary and secondary metabolites (carbohydrates, cyanogenic glycosides, amino acids, lipids, phenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, alkaloids, and terpenoids, among others) that have bactericidal, fungicidal, virucidal, insecticidal, acaricidal, and nematicidal activities. These phytochemicals are essential raw materials for the production of formulations that can be helpful in crop protection and preservation. However, in spite of the increasing demand for ecofriendly options to manage agricultural pests, the number of botanical-based products remains restricted. The identification of bioactive phytoconstituents in plant extracts thus forms a critical step in the development of commercial biocontrol products, and this Special Issue aims to contribute to the screening of highly promising candidate biorationals.

This Special Issue will include guest articles (original research papers, reviews, communications) mainly focused on the following subjects:

• Isolation and identification of natural compounds from plants with biological activity against pests and the evaluation of their activity in small-scale systems and in the field;
• Integration of different plant extracts or combination with other natural agents to obtain a synergistic enhancement of their antimicrobial, insecticidal, acaricidal, and/or nematicidal activity;
• Development of new formulations with plant botanicals as active ingredients that confer stability, adherence, and controlled release of the bioactive compounds;
• Mode-of-action studies: biochemical and molecular mechanisms of the activity of natural products

Dr. Pablo Martín-Ramos
Prof. Dr. Jesús Martín-Gil
Dr. Vicente Gonzalez Garcia
Guest Editors

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