Search Results (8,274)

Global population growth, climatic extremes and rising resource pressures necessitate innovative agricultural methods to boost food, feed, fibre and fuel production sustainably. Seed enhancement technologies (SETs), such as seed coating and priming, have emerged as effective strategies to improve seed viability and vigour, seedling establishment and overall crop yield. Conventional seed treatments include seed coating (film coating, encrusting, pelleting) and seed priming (hydro-, osmo-, halo- bio-, nutri-, hormonal-, chemical- and solid matrix priming). They offer advantages such as improved seed handling, uniform germination and promotion of early growth. However, they also have significant drawbacks, including on soil health and off-target pollution from synthetic polymers and pesticides, seed longevity issues from re-drying and outcomes that can vary among different crops, soils and environments. To tackle these issues, new non-traditional SETs are being investigated, including nanotechnology, novel biodegradable coatings and agrichemical-free biostimulants, such as plant growth promoting microorganisms. These innovative methods demonstrate great promise in enhancing active and crop performance while minimising environmental impacts by providing alternatives to materials derived from fossil fuels and that contribute to waste and pollution. This review critically examines both conventional and novel SETs, discusses their pros and cons and outlines strategic research and industry directions to enhance agricultural sustainability and productivity in light of global food and resource security challenges. Full article

To meet the requirements of differentiated pesticide application between soybean and maize strips in soybean–maize strip intercropping systems, this study developed a strip-specific variable-rate spraying system based on real-time prescription map interpretation and spatiotemporal nozzle matching with delay compensation. A simulated prescription map with predefined application-rate levels was generated using ArcMap and converted into a binary data structure suitable for embedded-controller access. Based on high-precision RTK-BDS positioning information, a local field coordinate transformation model was established and combined with SRAM-based memory preloading to achieve rapid prescription matrix addressing. To reduce boundary misalignment caused by positioning offset, actuator response lag, and hydraulic delay during dynamic field operations, a nozzle spatial position prediction model and a forward delay-compensation control algorithm were developed. Results from the strip-specific variable-rate spraying tests based on the simulated prescription map showed that, under the tested conditions, the mean boundary offset decreased from 0.69 m to 0.29 m after delay compensation. The mean flow-rate control accuracy for both soybean and maize strips exceeded 95% across different application-rate levels, while the coefficients of variation of flow rate were below 6%. These results indicate that, under the tested conditions, the developed system was able to perform real-time prescription map interpretation, target application-rate matching, and strip-specific variable-rate control, demonstrating its technical feasibility for variable-rate spraying in soybean–maize strip intercropping. Full article

‘Genetic zipper’ technology—based on CUAD (Contact Unmodified Antisense DNA) biotechnology, briefly CUADb—represents a step forward in eco-friendly pest control. This unique innovative approach is based on a fundamentally new biological mechanism—a two-step DNA containment (DNAc) mechanism. DNAc employs short, unmodified antisense DNA molecules to selectively degrade target pre-rRNA and/or rRNA in insect pests recruiting up-regulated RNase H1 and RT-RNase H during DNAc, disrupting protein synthesis and causing the down-regulation of kinases due to ATP insufficiency and ultimately leading to high mortality rates. Demonstrating exceptional speed and precision, this technology enables the design of effective and selective DNA pesticides (oligonucleotide pesticides) for no less than 15% of known insect pests in a single day. In this review, we highlight the simplicity and global applicability of this technology using case studies involving 12 economically significant pest species, including hemipterans and one spider mite, from five continents. These oligonucleotide pesticides, computationally predicted via the DNAInsector web tool, are supposed to offer 80–90% efficacy against target pests within one–two weeks under laboratory or field conditions. Their action is primarily non-systemic, requiring direct contact. Oligonucleotide pesticides are environmentally safe, biodegradable, and highly specific, reducing risks to non-target organisms. The ‘genetic zipper’ technology not only provides a powerful tool for researchers and practitioners but also opens a new era in DNA-programmable pest management, where personalized, algorithm-driven pesticides can be easily created and applied for sustainable agriculture. Full article

Botanical gardens are highly heterogeneous plant systems characterized by high taxonomic diversity, with numerous plant taxa represented within confined areas, and complex ecological interactions that create unique challenges for pest management. Conventional IPM strategies, designed for simplified agroecosystems, often fail to address complex pest pressures in curated environments. Microbial biostimulants have emerged as promising components of sustainable IPM strategies by enhancing plant defense responses, improving stress resilience, and reducing reliance on chemical inputs. This review synthesizes current knowledge on microbial biostimulants, including plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and endophytic microorganisms, in modulating plant defense against insect herbivores. These beneficial microbes enhance plant resistance through multiple mechanisms. They activate induced systemic resistance and modulate key phytohormones, including jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, and ethylene. Additionally, they regulate calcium-dependent and reactive oxygen species-mediated defenses. Microbially induced changes in plant secondary metabolites and volatile organic compounds further influence herbivore behavior and trophic interactions. Emphasis is placed on integrating microbial biostimulants into IPM frameworks tailored to botanical gardens. This highlights compatibility with biological control agents and reduced reliance on synthetic pesticides. Despite promising advances, challenges remain, including context-dependent efficacy, host specificity and limited long-term validation. Overall, microbial biostimulants offer a promising tool for enhancing IPM in biodiversity-rich botanical gardens, although further long-term validation is needed to fully assess their sustainability and effectiveness. Full article

Children living in agricultural communities are particularly vulnerable to pesticide exposure through multiple environmental pathways, yet community-level public policies specifically designed to protect children remain limited in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to develop a community-based public policy for preventing pesticide exposure among young children in rural Thailand through a participatory action research (PAR) approach. Guided by the Kemmis and McTaggart PAR framework, one complete PAR cycle was conducted between February 2022 and January 2023 in Ban Nangoi Village, Sakon Nakhon Province, Thailand. Purposive sampling recruited 62 stakeholders representing parents, farmers, healthcare personnel, local government representatives, academics, and community members. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, participant observations, and community meetings and analyzed using thematic analysis. The PAR process enabled stakeholders to jointly identify local priorities and co-develop a context-specific public policy summarized as the “3 Cs for Farmers, 2 Ps for People, and 1 S for Community” framework. Participants reported greater awareness of pesticide-related health risks, stronger multisectoral collaboration, improved stakeholder communication, and wider adoption of preventive practices. These findings suggest that PAR is a feasible approach for co-creating context-specific public policies while strengthening local environmental health governance. Rather than demonstrating the effectiveness of the policy in reducing pesticide exposure, this study highlights the value of stakeholder participation and policy co-creation in supporting sustainable community action. Future research should incorporate objective pesticide exposure measures, quantitative outcome indicators, and longer-term follow-up to evaluate policy effectiveness across diverse agricultural settings. Full article

Entomopathogenic fungi such as Beauveria bassiana are important biological control agents that provide alternatives to chemical insecticides; however, their application is often limited by relatively slow killing rates. In this study, we engineered the B. bassiana Bb2860 strain to express the spider-derived neurotoxin gene Hv1a and evaluated the biological characteristics and insecticidal activity of the recombinant strain. Bb2860-Hv1a was constructed using a blastospore-mediated LiAc/PEG transformation system and confirmed by PCR and Western blot analyses. Re-isolated recombinant fungi retained detectable Hv1a expression following host infection. Hv1a expression did not affect colony growth or conidial production under laboratory conditions. Bioassays using different infection approaches showed that the effects of Hv1a expression varied among insect species and experimental conditions. Bb2860-Hv1a did not significantly enhance insecticidal activity against G. mellonella, Spodoptera litura, or Ostrinia furnacalis larvae in immersion assays, but shortened the LT₅₀ of O. furnacalis larvae from 5.20 to 4.15 days in hemocoel injection assays. Foliar spray assays showed enhanced mortality of Bb2860-Hv1a compared with the wild type against Aphis gossypii, Myzus persicae, Frankliniella occidentalis, and Bemisia tabaci, with final mortality rates of 62.22%, 68.89%, 60.00%, and 95.56%, respectively, and LT₅₀ values of 4.86, 5.61, 5.92, and 4.87 days. Collectively, these results indicate that Hv1a expression can enhance the insecticidal activity of B. bassiana under specific bioassay conditions, particularly against several piercing–sucking pests evaluated by spray application. This study provides a basis for further evaluation and optimization of Hv1a-expressing B. bassiana as a potential fungal biocontrol candidate. Full article

Insect protein farming offers sustainable advantages in land efficiency, emission reductions, and bioconversion, yet optimizing the nutrient composition remains a major challenge for cost-effective production. This study investigates the co-regulatory mechanism between alkali-soluble protein (SpA) and the gut microbiota in black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) and their effect on protein conversion efficiency. Feeding trials with varying alfalfa/SpA ratios identified a wheat middlings/alfalfa meal blend at a (5:0 ratio) as optimal for promoting larval protein accumulation. SDS-PAGE and 16S rRNA analyses revealed a strong positive correlation between SpA and larval crude protein (R² = 0.82). The network analysis and Pearson correlation heatmap further confirmed positive correlations among SpA, larval protein, Enterococcus, and Ignatzschineria (p < 0.05), suggesting that high SpA in the substrate was associated with the enrichment of these taxa, which synergistically enhanced proteolysis through alkaline protease secretion (R² = 0.85) and chitinase-mediated gut remodeling. Multi-linear regression modeling verified SpA as a superior predictor of the crude protein content compared with total nitrogen (TN), improving the model’s coefficient of determination (R²) from 0.40 to 0.82. These findings highlight SpA’s higher bioavailability and its direct role in metabolic utilization. By integrating the feed composition, microbiome function, and host metabolism, this study established a regulatory network driving larval protein biosynthesis. The targeted modulation of dietary SpA content may offer a promising approach to enhance beneficial microbial communities and improve protein conversion efficiency in BSFL-rearing systems. These findings provide a theoretical basis for optimizing feed formulations to support sustainable insect protein production from organic waste. Full article

Dietary exposure to pesticide mixtures is recognized as an important food safety challenge worldwide, particularly in countries with intensive agricultural production. Regulatory monitoring programs focus primarily on compliance with maximum residue limits (MRLs), whereas cumulative exposure to pesticide mixtures remains insufficiently addressed. This study investigated the occurrence of eleven currently used pesticides in 20 commonly consumed plant-based foods (60 samples) marketed in Brazil and assessed regulatory compliance and human health risks associated with dietary exposure. Residues were determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and concentrations were compared with Brazilian MRLs and crop authorization status. Risk characterization included the hazard quotient (HQ), the hazard index (HI), and the carcinogenic risk (CRisk), estimated using cumulative assessment groups based on shared toxicological targets. Multiple residues were detected across all commodities, with chlorpyrifos, pirimiphos, imidacloprid, malathion, and fipronil most frequently associated with non-compliant samples. Several residues corresponded to pesticides not authorized for the respective crops, suggesting misuse, environmental contamination, or compliance failures; imidacloprid exceeded its MRL in zucchini by more than 70-fold. The carcinogenic risk from atrazine remained below accepted thresholds. In contrast, cumulative non-carcinogenic risk identified cassava, strawberry, and spinach as the commodities of greatest concern, with an HI of 3.16 for cassava. Fipronil residues drove these results, accounting for 83–99% of the cumulative hazard. These findings indicate that regulatory compliance alone may not capture the health risks of pesticide mixtures. Strengthened monitoring, improved traceability, and cumulative risk approaches are needed to protect consumer health and support evidence-based regulation. Full article

Plant anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum spp., is a class of significant diseases that severely threatens global crop production. Traditional management strategies, including chemical control, are hindered by inherent limitations such as the frequent emergence of pathogen resistance, low pesticide utilization efficiency, high environmental residue risks, and inconsistent field efficacy. Moreover, achieving further improvements in control efficacy is constrained by the complex biological characteristics of Colletotrichum species, particularly their hemibiotrophic lifestyle and latent infection strategies. In recent years, nanotechnology has emerged as a potential approach for the management of anthracnose. This review summarizes the research progress of various nanomaterials in the control of plant anthracnose. It analyzes the proposed multi-mechanism modes of action of nanomaterials tailored to the specific infection traits of Colletotrichum. Particular emphasis is placed on analyzing the theoretical mechanisms and preliminary in vitro evidence of nano-enabled controlled-release systems in addressing asymptomatic latent infections and achieving targeted, precise delivery. However, it must be emphasized that most current findings are derived from laboratory or controlled-environment studies, and the actual field-scale effectiveness, long-term environmental behavior, and multi-trophic safety of many nanomaterials remain insufficiently confirmed. Building upon these insights, this review thoroughly evaluates the critical challenges facing the agricultural field application of nanomaterials, such as ecotoxicity, formulation stability, scalable industrial production, and regulatory gaps. This review aims to provide objective theoretical support and technical references for achieving safe, efficient, and sustainable nano-enabled green management of plant anthracnose. Full article

Mango (Mangifera indica L.), particularly the ‘Nam Dok Mai’ cultivar, is an economically important fruit crop in Thailand and is widely produced in the Lower Northern Region for domestic consumption and export. However, pesticide residues in mango remain a major food safety concern because of their potential effects on consumer health and compliance with national and international maximum residue limits (MRLs). This study investigated pesticide residue contamination and assessed the dietary health risks associated with mango consumption among different age groups. A total of 255 composite mango samples were collected from production areas in Phichit, Phitsanulok, and Phetchabun provinces, Thailand. Pesticide residues were analyzed using a validated modified QuEChERS extraction method combined with gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS). Multiple pesticide residues were frequently detected in the samples analyzed. Of the detected residues, 22 pesticides exceeded Thai MRL standards and 14 exceeded Codex Alimentarius MRLs. Dietary exposure was evaluated using acute and chronic hazard quotients (HQa and HQc) and cumulative hazard indices (HIa and HIc). The results showed that acute exposure to several insecticides, particularly carbofuran, lambda-cyhalothrin, and fenpropathrin, exceeded acceptable risk thresholds in all age groups. At the pesticide-class level, cumulative acute exposure to organophosphates, carbamates, and pyrethroids showed HIa values greater than 1 in several age groups, suggesting potential short-term health concerns, especially among children. In contrast, chronic exposure to individual pesticides and cumulative pesticide groups remained below the level of concern for all age groups, with HQc and HIc values below 1. These findings indicate that although long-term dietary risk from mango consumption is within acceptable levels, acute exposure to certain pesticide residues may pose non-negligible health risks. Continuous residue monitoring, stricter enforcement of good agricultural practices, and evidence-based risk management are essential to ensure mango safety and protect consumers. Full article

Rare earth elements (REEs) are increasingly recognized as modulators of male reproductive health. This review presents the first comprehensive and critical analysis of the detrimental and potentially beneficial effects of REEs on male vertebrate reproductive function. In vivo and in vitro studies show that elements, particularly Gadolinium, Lanthanum, and Yttrium, share a toxicological profile characterized by oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, endocrine disruption, and impairment of the blood–testis barrier. These mechanisms converge on both somatic and germ cell populations, ultimately compromising spermatogenesis and hormonal balance. Limited epidemiological data in humans are consistent with experimental findings, indicating inverse associations between seminal REE levels and sperm quality. CeO₂ nanoparticles represent an exception, showing dose-dependent duality: although some murine studies describe toxic effects, a broader and more consistent body of evidence indicates their protective action by restoring testicular homeostasis in diabetic models, in rats exposed to pesticides, pharmacological agents or irradiation, and in in vitro-treated spermatozoa. Preliminary data on Yttrium (YO) and Gadolinium (GdVO₄) nanoparticles similarly point to protective effects under pathological conditions, whereas Neodymium and Samarium show reproductive toxicity, including hormonal disruption and impaired sperm quality. Overall, REEs cannot be considered a homogeneous class: some pose reproductive hazards, others show potential biomedical utility. A systematic, mechanistic research framework is needed to resolve these dualities. It should contextualise reproductive risks in relation to the growing environmental and occupational exposure to REEs, while simultaneously exploring the biomedical potential of those elements that exhibit protective profiles. Full article

Honey is a natural food product highly valued for its nutritional and biological properties. Its quality and safety are increasingly affected by environmental contamination and apicultural practices. Among the most relevant contaminants, pesticide residues, veterinary antibiotics, and heavy metals represent major concerns due to their potential impact on human health. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the occurrence, sources, and distribution of these contaminants in honey, with particular emphasis on their relationship with agricultural activities, environmental pollution, and beekeeping treatments. Advanced analytical techniques, including liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), are highlighted for their ability to enable sensitive multi-residue and trace-level detection. The application of chemometric tools for data analysis and sample classification is also addressed, supporting the identification of contamination patterns and origin-related differences. In addition, recent developments in rapid screening methods and environmentally sustainable analytical approaches are discussed. Overall, this review emphasizes the importance of continuous monitoring and the integration of advanced analytical strategies to ensure honey safety, support regulatory compliance, and protect consumers. Full article

Environmental chemical exposures are increasingly recognized as contributors to metabolic dysfunction, particularly when they occur as chronic, low-dose mixtures rather than as isolated high-dose toxicants. However, current approaches often focus on exposure intensity, single-compound hazard or isolated biomarker associations, and provide limited explanation for why individuals with comparable exposure profiles may develop markedly different metabolic outcomes. This semi-systematic review proposes an Exposure–Adaptive Capacity (EAC) framework to interpret the metabolic consequences of environmental chemical mixtures through the interaction between exposure burden and host adaptive capacity. A structured literature search covered PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science records published through 30 June 2026; a reviewer-triggered PubMed/MEDLINE update was executed on 30 July 2026 using harmonized British and American dyslipidaemia/dyslipidemia terms, explicit eligibility domains and evidence-mapping procedures. The review integrates epidemiological, mechanistic, toxicological and translational evidence related to environmental chemicals, metabolic dysfunction, mitochondrial impairment, oxidative stress, inflammation, endocrine disruption, metabolic resilience and biomarkers. The evidence indicates that several chemical classes, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, bisphenols, phthalates, pesticides, persistent organic pollutants and selected metals, converge on mitochondrial bioenergetics, redox regulation, inflammatory signalling, endocrine and nuclear receptor activity, nutrient-sensing networks and adipose tissue function. The EAC framework defines exposure burden as the cumulative biological pressure imposed by chemical mixtures and adaptive capacity as the organism’s functional ability to buffer, compensate for or recover from exposure-induced metabolic stress. To make the framework empirically testable, we specify measurable domains for exposure burden, adaptive capacity and EAC mismatch, and distinguish biomarkers of exposure, early biological effect, adaptive capacity, metabolic dysfunction and vulnerability. A quotient-based expression is retained only as a heuristic representation, while empirical testing is proposed through exposure-by-adaptive-capacity interaction models and complementary multidimensional approaches. The framework provides a structured basis for future exposomic, epidemiological and translational studies by shifting attention from exposure alone to the balance between environmental pressure and biological resilience. Full article

Honey bee colonies play a vital role in ecosystem stability and global food security. Together with bumble bees and other wild bee species, they form a diverse pollinator community that is particularly vulnerable to environmental pollution. Among stressors, environmental xenobiotics including heavy metals, metalloids, pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and emerging contaminants such as microplastics pose a growing concern due to their persistence, bioaccumulation potential and capacity to trigger oxidative stress and interact with pathogens, nutritional stress and climate-related extremes. The antioxidant defense system, encompassing enzymatic components (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione-dependent enzymes and glutathione-S-transferase) and non-enzymatic antioxidants, represents a key protective mechanism, and its disruption leads to redox imbalance, immunosuppression, and behavioral alterations that can reduce honey bee colony vitality. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the sources, exposure pathways and toxicological effects of major environmental xenobiotics on the antioxidant defense systems of honey bees, with particular emphasis on oxidative-stress biomarkers for early detection of sublethal impairment in field and experimental settings. Where available, evidence from bumble bees and other wild bees is considered to place findings in a broader pollinator-health context and to highlight taxa-specific sensitivities. Work should now concentrate on a validated core panel of redox biomarkers, on chronic multi-stressor exposures that include PFAS and plastic particles, and on biomarker baselines for bumble bees and solitary bees tied to colony- or population-level endpoints. Full article