Impacts of Agrochemicals on Insects and Soil Organisms

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Ecotoxicology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 July 2025 | Viewed by 1050

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
Interests: insects; ecotoxicology; morphology; bioindicators; immunology; ecology
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Guest Editor
Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
Interests: ecotoxicology; invertebrate physiology; anthropopressure; biomarkers; adaptation; tolerance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Department of Biomolecular Sciences (DiSB), University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy
Interests: Nematoda; taxonomy; ecological quality assessment; ecology; essential oils
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Guest Editor
Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
Interests: insects; ecoimmunology; ecotoxicology; biomarkers; histopathology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The intensification of agricultural activity in recent years has led to a significant increase in the use of agrochemicals, including insecticides, fertilisers, herbicides, fungicides, and nematicides. The prolonged and repeated use of chemicals for pest and weed control can result in alterations to the soil properties and affect the biodiversity of communities in agroecosystems. These impacts can extend to the provision of ecosystem services, such as nutrient cycling, organic matter decomposition, predation, and pollination. Furthermore, the exposure to herbicides and fungicides impacts on non-target species and disrupts ecological relationships by altering prey–predator, host–parasite, and mutualistic interactions.

This Special Issue of Toxics is dedicated to the recent findings on the direct and indirect effects of agrochemicals on insects and soil arthropods such as nematodes, springtails, earthworms, isopods, gastropods, and woodlice. In accordance with this objective, experts are invited to contribute both original research and review articles.

Submitted manuscripts should focus on, but not be limited to, the mechanisms of toxicity of new agrochemicals. Novel approaches to improve our understanding of their adverse effects in terrestrial ecosystems are also welcome. The findings presented in this Special Issue will contribute to the implementation of guidelines for pollutant levels and the identification of potential threats and remediation measures.

Dr. Anita Giglio
Dr. Agnieszka Babczynska
Dr. Federica Semprucci
Dr. Maria Luigia Vommaro
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • bioindicators
  • biopesticides
  • decomposers
  • ecosystem services
  • ecotoxicology
  • nanomaterials
  • pesticides
  • symbiotoxicity
  • health risks

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 1065 KiB  
Article
Salvia connivens Methanolic Extract Against Spodoptera frugiperda and Tenebrio molitor and Its Effect on Poecilia reticulata and Danio rerio
by Manolo Rodríguez-Cervantes, Luis Ricardo León-Herrera, Salvador Alejandro Ventura-Salcedo, María del Carmen Monroy-Dosta, Eloy Rodríguez-deLeón, Mamadou Moustapha Bah, Juan Campos-Guillén, Aldo Amaro-Reyes, Carlos Eduardo Zavala-Gómez, Rodolfo Figueroa-Brito, Karla Elizabeth Mariscal-Ureta, Héctor Pool, Itzel Ramos-Mayorga and Miguel Angel Ramos-López
Toxics 2025, 13(2), 94; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13020094 - 26 Jan 2025
Viewed by 764
Abstract
Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) are two prominent pests of maize and its stored grains, respectively. Botanical pesticides have been proposed as an alternative for their management. This study evaluated the insecticidal activity of Salvia connivens (Lamiaceae) methanolic extract [...] Read more.
Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) are two prominent pests of maize and its stored grains, respectively. Botanical pesticides have been proposed as an alternative for their management. This study evaluated the insecticidal activity of Salvia connivens (Lamiaceae) methanolic extract and rosmarinic acid against S. frugiperda and T. molitor by adding them to an artificial diet, as well as their ecotoxicological effects on Poecilia reticulata (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae) and Danio rerio (Cypriniformes: Danionidae) through acute toxicity tests. The methanolic extract showed higher mortality activity against S. frugiperda (LC50 = 874.28 ppm) than against T. molitor (LC50 = 1856.94 ppm) and was non-toxic to fish. Rosmarinic acid, the most abundant compound in the extract (80.45 mg g−1), showed higher activity against S. frugiperda (LC50 = 176.81 ppm). This compound did not cause a toxic effect on adult P. reticulata at the tested concentrations. However, in P. reticulata fingerlings and D. rerio adults, it was non-toxic, except in D. rerio embryos, where it was slightly toxic. These findings suggest that S. connivens methanolic extract has potential as a botanical product for the management of S. frugiperda and T. molitor with low ecotoxicological impact, while rosmarinic acid may be a useful compound for the management of S. frugiperda. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Agrochemicals on Insects and Soil Organisms)
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