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Sustainable Pest and Disease Management in Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Agriculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 June 2022) | Viewed by 19937

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Imre Holb

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Guest Editor

Institute of Horticulture, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Centre for Agricultural Research, Plant Protection Institute, Budapest, Hungary
Interests: sustainable agriculture and horticulture; integrated pest management; organic fruit and vegetable production; plant pathology; plant disease epidemiology; plant disease forecasting and management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable pest and disease managements in agriculture, horticulture, and forestry are essential current and future aspects for a long-term sustainability in nature. This Special Issue cordially invites experts from around the world to submit scientific materials (original research, reviews, and opinions) covering all aspects of the use of less harmful pesticides and/or alternatives to pesticides in pest and disease management programs for agriculture, horticulture and forestry.

In addition, special emphasis is made on:

(i) The biological challenges, costs, and benefits associated with integrating these tactics into more sustainable crop production systems;

(ii) Any technological/biological/conceptual backgrounds of pest and disease management that can be useful in sustainable pest and disease management programs; and

(iii) Any direct/indirect aspects of environmental, economic, and social consequences of the use of sustainable pest and disease managements.

Some more specific examples:

(i) Biological, environmental, and socioeconomic comparisons among sustainable (integrated and organic) pest and disease management programs/strategies or among conventional vs. sustainable production systems;

(ii) Any epidemiological or population biology aspects related to disease and pest forecasting that help to reach a lower annual application of synthetic chemicals;

(iii) All aspects of economic (e.g., cost–benefit analyses, influence of product marketing), environmental (e.g., influence on natural enemies, water quality, soil parameters, wild flora and fauna) and human/social issues (e.g., human health, social behavior) related to pest and disease management in sustainable production;

(iv) Sustainability is also highly promoted in precision agriculture; therefore, all aspects of data collection and/or analyses with, e.g., satellite, drone, remote sensing, hyperspectral imaging or the use of any technical/technological elements for precision agriculture that promote/improve sustainability of disease and pest managements;

(v) Robotics and technologies for protected crops in greenhouse that promote/improve sustainability of disease and pest managements;

(vi) Environmentally friendly pest and disease management in postharvest technologies.

Prof. Dr. Imre Holb
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. Sustainability 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 2400 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
Organic pest management
Arthropod pests
Plant disease
Plant resistance
Cultural practices
Biological control
Crop production
Horticulture
Forestry
Economic aspects of sustainable pest and disease management
Environmental aspects of sustainable pest and disease management
Social aspects of sustainable pest and disease management
Precision agriculture
Disease and pest forecasting
Epidemiology of plant diseases
Protected crops
Postharvest technology

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 3863 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Determination of Silicon Accumulation in Non-Bt Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) Plants and Its Impact on Fecundity and Biology of Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) under Controlled Conditions

by Asim Abbasi, Muhammad Sufyan, Hafiza Javaria Ashraf, Qamar uz Zaman, Inzamam Ul Haq, Zahoor Ahmad, Ramish Saleem, Mohammad Rameez Hashmi, Mariusz Jaremko, Nader R. Abdelsalam and Rehab Y. Ghareeb

Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10996; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710996 - 02 Sep 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2150

Abstract

Considering the resistance development-potential of whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) against control tactics with limited action mechanisms, the present study investigated the accumulation of two different silicon (Si) sources (SiO₂ and K₂SiO₃) in cotton plants. The tested dose rates (0, 200, and 400 mg/L) of both Si sources were applied directly to the soil or through foliar application on cotton leaves. Moreover, a laboratory bioassay was also conducted to evaluate the performance of applied Si sources against the oviposition preference and biology of B. tabaci. A significantly higher Si accumulation, reduction in oviposition preference, and prolonged developmental period of all nymphs and total life cycle of B. tabaci was observed in the case of foliar-applied silicon. Similarly, among Si sources, a significant decline in the number of oviposited eggs and delay in the developmental period of B. tabaci was observed in the case of SiO_2, followed by K₂SiO₃. Moreover, cotton plants subjected to SiO₂ treatments possessed higher Si contents in their leaves than K₂SiO₃ treated plants. The results further revealed that both Si sources showed promising results at their higher concentrations regarding the tested parameters of Si accumulation, fecundity, and developmental period of B. tabaci. Our results strongly suggest that among emerging pest control strategies in cotton plants lies the use of foliar application of Si, which can also be incorporated in different integrated pest management programs due to its safety for humans and beneficial insect fauna. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Pest and Disease Management in Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry)

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11 pages, 2000 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sulfur Application Combined with Planomicrobium sp. Strain MSSA-10 and Farmyard Manure Biochar Helps in the Management of Charcoal Rot Disease in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

by Muhammad Ijaz, Abdul Sattar, Ahmad Sher, Sami Ul-Allah, Muhammad Zeeshan Mansha, Kashif Ali Khan, Muhammad Asif Shahzad, Abdullah M. Al-Sadi, Muhammad Arif, Bandar S. Aljuaid, Ahmed M. El-Shehawi and Shahid Farooq

Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8535; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158535 - 30 Jul 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2351

Abstract

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), a member of the Asteraceae, is one of the major oilseed crops around the world. Charcoal rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid is the most damaging disease of sunflowers globally. Fungicides are mostly used to control charcoal rot; however, these cause environmental pollution and pose adverse effects on the ecosystem. Therefore, ecofriendly management options are inevitable for the management of charcoal rot disease. Plant mineral nutrition, the use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and biochar have recently been manipulated for the management of different plant diseases. However, the interactive effects of all these treatments have rarely been tested on charcoal rot suppression in sunflowers. This study assessed the influence of sulfur (0 and 2.25 mg/kg) combined with farmyard manure biochar (2%), NPK (20:20:20 mg/kg) and three different plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) strains on the charcoal rot suppression growth, yield, biochemistry and physiology of sunflower. The PGPR strains included in the study were Bacillus sp. strain MR-1/2 (regarded as PGPR1), Achromobacter sp. strain FB-14 (regarded as PGPR2) and Planomicrobium sp. strain MSSA-10 (regarded as PGPR3). The charcoal rot infestation was induced by inoculating the soil with M. phaseolina, and the impacts of the different treatments were studied on the disease infestation, growth, yield, biochemistry and physiology of sunflowers under 0 and 2.25-mg/kg S application. The results revealed that farmyard manure biochar and Planomicrobium sp. strain MSSA-10 in combination with 2.25-mg/kg S proved effective for the management of charcoal rot disease through regulating the antioxidant enzymes’ activities and strengthening the immune system of sunflower plants. The studied health markers (total chlorophyll content and carotenoids) and stress markers (total protein content, catalase and peroxidase) were significantly altered by the applied treatments under 0 and 2.25-mg/kg S applications. The findings of the experiment indicated that both farmyard manure biochar and Planomicrobium sp. strain MSSA-10, combined with 2.25-mg/kg S, could be used to enhance the crop yield and manage charcoal rot disease in sunflowers. Farmyard manure biochar and Planomicrobium sp. strain MSSA-10 are an easy-to-apply, cost-effective, ecofriendly and sustainable option for the management of charcoal rot disease in sunflowers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Pest and Disease Management in Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry)

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16 pages, 1121 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Management of the Red Palm Weevil: The Nexus between Farmers’ Adoption of Integrated Pest Management and Their Knowledge of Symptoms

by Hazem S. Kassem, Bader Alhafi Alotaibi, Ali Ahmed and Fahd O. Aldosri

Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9647; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229647 - 19 Nov 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3131

Abstract

The red palm weevil (RPW) (Rhynchophorus ferruginous) is one of the most serious pest insects threatening the sustainability of the date palm sector (Phoenix dactylifera L.). Nevertheless, a gap exists in the body of knowledge regarding patterns in farmers’ adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) for RPW control and how their knowledge of RPW symptomology influences IPM adoption. Data were collected using structured questionnaires from 183 palm growers in Al-Ahsa Governorate, Saudi Arabia. The results indicate that most farmers had insufficient knowledge to visually diagnose RPW symptoms and damage. Farmers moderately adopted preventive measures recommended for protection from RPW infestation. Only 13.11% of the farmers exhibited a high rate of adoption of pest management practices for RPW control and eradication. The findings revealed a strong positive association (0.8, p < 0.01) between the knowledge level regarding symptoms and IPM adoption level, whereby the respondents with more knowledge of RPW symptoms showed a higher level of adoption in all IPM categories. This study contributes to the development of our understanding of the social behaviors and risks associated with RPW. This might enhance the quality of awareness campaigns and extension programs and assist in developing a visual inspection protocol for RPW infestation for farmers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Pest and Disease Management in Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry)

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17 pages, 3185 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Potential of Octanol and Octanal from Heracleum sosnowskyi Fruits for the Control of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici

by May Khaing Hpoo, Maryia Mishyna, Valery Prokhorov, Tsutomu Arie, Akihito Takano, Yosei Oikawa and Yoshiharu Fujii

Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9334; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229334 - 10 Nov 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2557

Abstract

The antifungal activity of volatile compounds from the fruit, leaf, rhizome and root of 109 plant species was evaluated against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL) race 1—the tomato wilt pathogen—by using the modified dish pack method. Eighty-eight plant samples inhibited mycelial growth, including volatiles from fruits of Heracleum sosnowskyi, which exhibited the strongest antifungal activity, showing 67% inhibition. Two volatile compounds from the fruits of H. sosnowskyi (octanol and octanal) and trans-2-hexenal as a control were tested for their antifungal activities against FOL race 1 and race 2. In terms of half-maximal effective concentration (EC₅₀) values, octanol was found to be the most inhibitory compound for both pathogenic races, with the smallest EC₅₀ values of 8.1 and 9.3 ng/mL for race 1 and race 2, respectively. In the biofumigation experiment, the lowest disease severity of tomato plants and smallest conidial population of race 1 and race 2 were found in trans-2-hexenal and octanol treated soil, while octanal had an inhibitory effect only on race 2. Therefore, our study demonstrated the effectiveness of volatile octanol and trans-2-hexenal on the control of the mycelial growth of two races of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and may have potential for the future development of novel biofumigants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Pest and Disease Management in Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry)

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11 pages, 5027 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spray Backstop: A Method to Reduce Orchard Spray Drift Potential without Limiting the Spray and Air Delivery

by Alireza Pourreza, Ali Moghimi, Franz J. A. Niederholzer, Peter A. Larbi, German Zuniga-Ramirez, Kyle H. Cheung and Farzaneh Khorsandi

Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 8862; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12218862 - 26 Oct 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2998

Abstract

Unmanaged spray drift from orchard pesticide application contributes to environmental contamination and causes significant danger to farmworkers, nearby residential areas, and neighbors’ crops. Most drift control approaches do not guarantee adequate and uniform canopy spray coverage. Our goal was to develop a spray backstop system that could block drifting from the top without any negative impact on spray coverage and on-target deposition. The design included a foldable mast and a shade structure that covered the trees from the top. We used a continuous loop sampling to assess and quantify the effectiveness of spray backstop on drift potential reduction. We also collected leaf samples from different sections of trees to compare on-target deposition and coverage. The results showed that the spray backstop system could significantly (p-Value < 0.01) reduce drift potential from the top (78% on average). While we did not find any statistical difference in overall canopy deposition with and without the backstop system, we observed some improvement in treetops deposition. This experiment’s output suggests that growers may be able to adjust their air-assist sprayers for a more uniform spray coverage without concern about the off-target movement of spray droplets when they employ the spray backstop system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Pest and Disease Management in Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry)

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Review

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22 pages, 16281 KiB

Open AccessReview

Precision Agriculture Digital Technologies for Sustainable Fungal Disease Management of Ornamental Plants

by Silvia Traversari, Sonia Cacini, Angelica Galieni, Beatrice Nesi, Nicola Nicastro and Catello Pane

Sustainability 2021, 13(7), 3707; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13073707 - 26 Mar 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4564

Abstract

Ornamental plant production constitutes an important sector of the horticultural industry worldwide and fungal infections, that dramatically affect the aesthetic quality of plants, can cause serious economic and crop losses. The need to reduce the use of pesticides for controlling fungal outbreaks requires the development of new sustainable strategies for pathogen control. In particular, early and accurate large-scale detection of occurring symptoms is critical to face the ambitious challenge of an effective, energy-saving, and precise disease management. Here, the new trends in digital-based detection and available tools to treat fungal infections are presented in comparison with conventional practices. Recent advances in molecular biology tools, spectroscopic and imaging technologies and fungal risk models based on microclimate trends are examined. The revised spectroscopic and imaging technologies were tested through a case study on rose plants showing important fungal diseases (i.e., spot spectroscopy, hyperspectral, multispectral, and thermal imaging, fluorescence sensors). The final aim was the examination of conventional practices and current e-tools to gain the early detection of plant diseases, the identification of timing and spacing for their proper management, reduction in crop losses through environmentally friendly and sustainable production systems. Moreover, future perspectives for enhancing the integration of all these approaches are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Pest and Disease Management in Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry)

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