Use Of Pesticides In Agriculture Research Articles

Water Cleaning Adsorptive Membranes for Efficient Removal of Heavy Metals and Metalloids

Heavy metal pollution represents an urgent worldwide problem due to the increasing number of its sources; it derives both from industrial, e.g., mining, metallurgical, incineration, etc., and agricultural sources, e.g., pesticide and fertilizer use. Features of membrane technology are the absence of phase change or chemical additives, modularity and easy scale-up, simplicity in concept and operation, energy efficiency, and small process footprint. Therefore, if membrane technology is coupled to adsorption technology, one of the most effective treatment strategies to remove heavy metals, namely, Adsorptive Membrane Technology, many typical disadvantages of traditional processes to remove heavy metals, such as low-quality treated water, excessive toxic sludge production, which requires further treatment, can be overcome. In this review, after a broad introduction on the relevance of heavy metal removal and the methods used, a thorough analysis of adsorptive membrane technology is given in terms of strategies to immobilize the adsorbents onto/into membranes and materials used. Regarding this latter aspect, the impressive number of papers present in the literature on the topic has been categorized into five types of adsorptive membranes, i.e., bio-based, bio-inspired, inorganic, functionalized, and MMMs.

Pesticides, crop choices and changes in well-being

This study investigates how Pesticide Risk Indicators (PRIs) can be applied to help develop sound economic policies. We modified one of the numerous PRIs proposed over the years, the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ), originally developed for the fruit industry, to consider co-formulants and adjuvants. The new formula includes three components representing the externalities of farm worker risk, consumer risk, and ecological risk. It also considers the potential externalities of the use of pesticides on residents living near the farms where these products are used. We applied the modified EIQ to two areas located in central Italy (the Chiana Valley in Tuscany and the Tiber and Upper Tiber Valleys in Tuscany/Umbria), surveying a sample of farms to determine the quantity and types of pesticides used on five crops: durum wheat, soft wheat, corn, tobacco, and olives. After calculating the impact quotient, we used data from a survey conducted in a different Italian region regarding the willingness to pay (WTP) for a pesticide-free environment and determined the WTP for even minimal changes in that quotient. Using those results, we simulated the changes in welfare (calculated as changes in willingness to pay) that would result from modifying the amount of land used for each crop. Our findings indicate that the proposed WTP indicator may have broad utility and that its application may lead to enhanced awareness of the consequences of pesticide use in farming.

Electrochemical study and forensic electroanalysis of fungicide benzovindiflupyr using disposable graphite pencil electrode

Nowadays, the use of pesticides in world agriculture is fundamental. However, it leads to an increase in the illegal sale and smuggling of these products in various parts of the world, mainly in Brazil. Therefore, the development of new analytical methods for screening and analysis of these kind of substances is a relevant issue. We present in this work, for the first time, an electrochemical study and a novel electroanalytical method for determination of fungicide benzovindiflupyr (BENZO). According to our knowledge, the electrochemical behavior of BENZO, as well as its voltammetric determination, have never been reported before. The sensors used here consisted of disposable pencil graphite electrodes (PGEs). On this electrode surface and at optimal pH, BENZO behaved according to a quasi-reversible system and showed two voltammetric peaks, one anodic at Ep = +0.59 V and another cathodic at Ep = +0.43 V. The analytical studies utilized BENZO anodic sweep and square-wave adsorptive stripping voltammetry (SWAdSV). All experimental and instrumental parameters were fully investigated and optimized. Under the best conditions, a calibration plot was obtained in the concentration range from 0.10 to 12.5 μmol L−1. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) achieved were 0.023 and 0.076 μmol L−1, respectively. An electrochemical mechanism for BENZO oxidation was also proposed. The method developed here was successfully employed for the qualitative and quantitative forensic analysis of BENZO in smuggled products, showing good accuracy (recoveries ca. 104%) and precision (relative standard deviation < 5%). These data attest the potential for use of this method in forensic area.

Carbendazim toxicity in different cell lines and mammalian tissues.

The extensive production and use of harmful pesticides in agriculture to improve crop yield has raised concerns about their potential threat to living components of the environment. Pesticides cause serious environmental and health problems both to humans and animals. Carbendazim (CBZ) is a broad spectrum fungicide that is used to control or effectively kill pathogenic microorganisms. CBZ is a significant contaminant found in food, soil and water. It exerts immediate and delayed harmful effects on humans, invertebrates, aquatic animals and soil microbes when used extensively and repeatedly. CBZ is a teratogenic, mutagenic and aneugenic agent that imparts its toxicity by enhancing generation of reactive oxygen species generation. It elevates the oxidation of thiols, proteins and lipids and decreases the activities of antioxidant enzymes. CBZ is cytotoxic causing hematological abnormalities, mitotic spindle deformity, inhibits mitosis and alters cell cycle events which lead to apoptosis. CBZ is known to cause endocrine-disruption, embryo toxicity, infertility, hepatic dysfunction and has been reported to be one of the leading causes of neurodegenerative disorders. CBZ is dangerous to human health, the most common side effects upon chronic exposure are thyroid gland dysfunction and oxidative hepato-nephrotoxicity. In mammals, CBZ has been shown to disrupt the antioxidant defense system. In this review, CBZ-induced toxicity in different cells, tissues and organisms, under in vitro and in vivo conditions, has been systematically discussed.

Parkinson’s in Farmers, Could it be Caused by the Paraquat Herbicide Exposure?

Many studies have been carried out to assess the safety of the widespread use of pesticides in agriculture with diseases in farmers. A 52-year-old female farmer suffered Parkinson’s after working 27 years using paraquat herbicide. This study was conducted to obtain answers about the impact of paraquat exposure on the incidence of Parkinson’s in farmers through evidence-based case reports (EBCR) derived from a literature review.The review was conducted through the search and selection method of articles in PubMed, ProQuest, and Cochrane Library to answer research questions. The article search process used the keywords “paraquat AND Parkinson AND farmer”. Article selection was carried out using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. In the initial search, 35 articles were retrieved and through the selection process three articles of the meta-analysis systematic review were selected.Selected articles from Tangamornsuksan and Vaccari show a statistically significant association between paraquat exposure and the incidence of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in workers, with a pooled OR of 1.70 and 1.24. Meanwhile, Yan’s study shows that duration of exposure to pesticides increases the risk of PD. The result showed a 5 and 10 years of duration exposure to pesticide were associated with a 5% and 11% augment in the risk of PD. All studies applied validation to reduce bias and heterogeneity effects or inadequate statistical methods.Based on the results of this evidence-based case report, it shows that the epidemiological studies taken can prove the possibility that Parkinson’s disease in this farmer is caused by exposure to paraquat.

Investigating Six Common Pesticides Residues and Dietary Risk Assessment of Romanian Wine Varieties.

The food and environmental safety debate extends to the use of pesticides in agriculture including the wine sector, which is one of the most intensive pesticide users across the agricultural sector. Pesticide utilisation is a common agricultural practice to protect fruits and plants from pathogens and insects while maintaining high production levels. Grapevine is generally a crop that is subject to intensive phytosanitary treatments, and therefore, it can be assumed that pesticide residues will accumulate in the vine-shoots and, later on, end up in the grapes and wines. The aim of this study was to determine the pesticide content in red, rosé, and white wines after phytosanitary treatments applied in the vineyard and their impact on long-term dietary risks. The following six pesticides were analysed: oxathiapiprolin, myclobutanil, iprovalicarb, tebuconazole, chlorantraniliprole, and acetamiprid. Samples were extracted using the QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) method and analysed for the residues of pesticides by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results indicated that the observed pesticides in the wine samples ranged between 0.05 and 0.75 ng/g. Dietary risks due to pesticide residues for women and men were evaluated using the estimated daily intake (EDI), hazard quotient (HQ), and hazard index (HI) of wines. The HQs and HIs did not surpass the 1 value (HQ, HI < 1) for both women and men, denoting that the concentrations of pesticide residues in these wine samples do not pose any immediate risk to consumers. Moreover, a pesticide residue intake model (PRIMo) model analysis was conducted, and the results suggest that European adult consumers have a low pesticide residue intake due to moderate wine consumption. However, pesticide residue intakes have been associated with several human health problems and high toxicity levels, therefore reliable analytical methods to monitor their presence in horticultural crops is crucial for clean and safe food products and healthy consumers.

The environmental issue of pesticide residues in agricultural soils in Serbia

Widespread use of pesticides in intensive agriculture indicates the need for permanent monitoring of their residues in soil. For this purpose, a total of 22 evenly distributed sampling points of arable land were chosen in the sampling area in Serbia. Soils were divided into groups according to the previous crop (pepper, vegetables, maize, wheat and soybean). Soil properties and residues of 68 pesticides, of which 22 herbicides, 25 insecticides and 21 fungicides, were analysed in the collected soil samples. The obtained data confirm the heterogeneity of soil samples regarding their organic matter content (1.41–3.39%) and pH value (pH 4.27–8.08). The average number of active ingredients detected per type of previous crop was 1–2 herbicides, 14–16 insecticides, and 3–4 fungicides, while the residues of 3 herbicides, 20 insecticides and 9 fungicides were found in total. Insecticides with mainly organochlorine compounds represented the majority of the detected active ingredients. Although rapid degradability of sulfonylurea herbicides is a well-known fact, the residues of nicosulfuron, ranging from 0.15 to 1.99 μg/kg, were found in three soil samples where maize was grown as a previous crop. Furthermore, triazoles prothioconazole (0.08 ± 0.11 μg/kg), tebuconazole (0.10 ± 0.24 μg/kg) and epoxyconazole (0.13 ± 0.42 μg/kg) were detected in 36%, 18% and 14% soil samples, respectively, while difenoconazole and flusilazole were detected in only one sample. Soil pH value mostly correlated with pesticides. The levels of pesticides detected in agricultural soils should be monitored further, especially in terms of environmental risks posed by their transfer to groundwater and surface waters.

The Responsibility of Farmers, Public Authorities and Consumers for Safeguarding Bees Against Harmful Pesticides

The worldwide decline in bees and other pollinating insects is a threat to biodiversity and food security, and urgent action must be taken to stop and then reverse this decline. An established cause of the insect decline is the use of harmful pesticides in agriculture. This case study focuses on the use of pesticides in Norwegian apple production and considers who among farmers, consumers and public authorities is most responsible for protecting bees against harmful pesticides. The extent to which these three different groups consider themselves responsible and the degree to which they are trusted by each of the other groups are also studied. This empirical study involves both qualitative interviews with Norwegian apple farmers, consumers and public authorities and survey data from consumers and farmers. The results show that consumers consider public authorities and farmers equally responsible for protecting bees, while farmers are inclined to consider themselves more responsible. Farmers, consumers and public authorities do not consider consumers significantly responsible for protecting bees, and consumers have a high level of trust in both farmers and public authorities regarding this matter. This study also finds that a low level of consumer trust in farmers or public authorities increases consumers’ propensity to purchase organic food, suggesting that those who do not trust that enough action is adopted to protect the environment take on more individual responsibility. This paper adds to the existing literature concerning the allocation of responsibility for environmental outcomes, with empirical evidence focusing specifically on pesticides and bees.

Using a bio-economic farm model to evaluate the economic potential and pesticide load reduction of the greenRelease technology

CONTEXTPolicies and strategies at EU and national level aim at a reduced use of pesticides in agriculture, such as the Farm to Fork Strategy of the EU Commission. Technological progress can lower pesticide application and contribute to a sustainable bioeconomy. As an example, the greenRelease technology increases the attachment of the active ingredient of plant protection products to the leaf surface and slowly releases the active ingredient from a microgel container. Experiments under both controlled and field conditions have demonstrated the potential of the greenRelease technology to reduce pesticide use. As a so-called platform technology, the greenRelease concept can be applied to various crops and plant protection chemicals. OBJECTIVETo guide further development, this study analyses the greenRelease technology regarding its economic potential and its possible contribution to the reduction of environmental and health risks from pesticide use. METHODSTo do so, we use a bio-economic farm model to assess the technology potential for a typical farm and spraying sequences of various crops in northwestern Germany. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSThe results reveal that the economic potential of the greenRelease technology is highest for systemic fungicides in all assessed crops as well as for herbicides for potato cultivation. It is lowest for insecticides in winter barley and potato as well as for contact fungicides, due to the small doses and low product costs. The potential to lower possible environmental and health risks of pesticide use, indicated by the Danish pesticide load indicator, is highest for fungicides in potato, winter wheat, and winter barley as well as for herbicides in sugar beet cultivation. Relative to overall costs in arable farming, the cost changes induced by the greenRelease technology are minor, such that the environmental benefits will be key for promoting its application. However, the economic competitiveness of the technology increases if agri-environmental policies progressively internalize the negative externalities of pesticides use. SIGNIFICANCEThis research is the first comprehensive economic and environmental assessment of the technology greenRelease which can contribute to lower the environmental burden of pesticide use in agriculture.

Toxicity of Formulated Systemic Insecticides Used in Apple Orchard Pest Management Programs to the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera (L.))

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are one of the most important pollinating species of flowering plants. Recently, populations of honey bees have been declining due to a combination of factors, including the widespread use of agricultural pesticides. Laboratory studies were conducted to determine the acute oral toxicity of different formulated pesticides to honey bee adults. In particular, we assessed the acute oral toxicity of two neonicotinoids (acetamiprid, Assail 30SG and thiamethoxam, Actara 25WDG) and two other systemic insecticide products (sulfoxaflor, Closer 2SC and flupyradifurone, Sivanto 200SL), all of which are generally used in pest management programs in commercial apple orchards in the Eastern United States. Honey bees were fed a range of doses of each pesticide in order to create a response curve, and LC50, LC90, and LD50 values were determined. The pesticide formulation containing flupyradifurone as the active ingredient was found to be the least toxic to honey bees followed by the formulations containing sulfoxaflor and acetamiprid. The toxicity values obtained in this study differ from other studies testing only technical active ingredient compounds, suggesting the need to evaluate formulated products while conducting ecotoxicological risk assessment.

Agricultural management and pesticide use reduce the functioning of beneficial plant symbionts.

Phosphorus (P) acquisition is key for plant growth. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) help plants acquire P from soil. Understanding which factors drive AMF-supported nutrient uptake is essential to develop more sustainable agroecosystems. Here, we collected soils from 150 cereal fields and 60 non-cropped grassland sites across a 3,000 km trans-European gradient. In a greenhouse experiment, we tested the ability of AMF in these soils to forage for the radioisotope 33P from a hyphal compartment. AMF communities in grassland soils were much more efficient in acquiring 33P and transferred 64% more 33P to plants compared to AMF in cropland soils. Fungicide application best explained hyphal 33P transfer in cropland soils. The use of fungicides and subsequent decline in AMF richness in croplands reduced 33P uptake by 43%. Our results suggest that land-use intensity and fungicide use are major deterrents to the functioning and natural nutrient uptake capacity of AMF in agroecosystems.

Quantifying exposure of bumblebee (Bombus spp.) queens to pesticide residues when hibernating in agricultural soils

Exposure to pesticides is a major threat to bumblebee (Bombus spp.) health. In temperate regions, queens of many bumblebee species hibernate underground for several months, putting them at potentially high risk of exposure to soil contaminants. The extent to which bumblebees are exposed to residues in agricultural soils during hibernation is currently unknown, which limits our understanding of the full pesticide exposome for bumblebees throughout their lifecycle. To generate field exposure estimates for overwintering bumblebee queens to pesticide residues, we sampled soils from areas corresponding to suitable likely hibernation sites at six apple orchards and 13 diversified farms throughout Southern Ontario (Canada) in fall 2019–2020. Detectable levels of pesticides were found in 65 of 66 soil samples analysed for multi-pesticide residues (UPLC-MS/MS). A total of 53 active ingredients (AIs) were detected in soils, including 27 fungicides, 13 insecticides, and 13 herbicides. Overall, the frequency of detection, residue levels (median = 37.82 vs. 2.20 ng/g), and number of pesticides per sample (mean = 12 vs. 4 AIs) were highest for orchard soils compared to soils from diversified farms. Ninety-one percent of samples contained multiple residues (up to 29 different AIs per sample), including mixtures of insecticides and fungicides that might lead to synergistic effects. Our results suggest that when hibernating in agricultural areas, bumblebee queens are very likely to be exposed to a wide range of pesticide residues in soil, including potentially harmful levels of insecticides (e.g., cyantraniliprole up to 148.82 ng/g). Our study indicates the importance of empirically testing the potential effects of pesticide residues in soils for hibernating bumblebee queens, using field exposure data such as those generated here. The differences in potential exposure that we detected between cropping systems can also be used to better inform regulations that govern the use of agricultural pesticides, notably in apple orchards.

Sublethal Toxicity Insecticide Organochlorine Endosulfan on The Value of Blood Sugar Levels and The Level of Life in Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Seeds

AbstrakThe use of pesticides in agriculture continues to increase. One of the classifications of pesticides is organochlorine endosulfan insecticide that can cause river pollution. One type of fish that is often cultivated in ponds is tilapia. River pollution can trigger stress and even fish death. The stress level of the fish can be seen from the value of its blood sugar levels. This research was conducted on March 20 - April 28, 2021, in Microbiology Laboratory and Anatomy-Aquaculture Laboratory, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine, Universitas Airlangga, to determine the toxicity effect of sublethal endosulfan organochlorine insecticide on blood sugar level value and tilapia seed life rate. This study used experimental methods with CRD through exposure to different organochlorine concentrations, namely P0 (0%), P1 (10%), P2 (30%), P3 (50%), P4 (70%) with four replays. Analysis of the data was processed using ANOVA and DMRT, which showed that sublethal toxicity of endosulfan organochlorine insecticides had an effect (p<0.05) on blood sugar levels and the level of tilapia seed resistance. Using only a concentration of 10% has increased blood sugar levels significantly on the 7th day and continues to increase until the 28th day (114.50 mg/dL). Also, the level of fish life insecurity indicates a value below the Indonesian National Standard (72.50 %).

Understanding farmers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices of pesticide use in Nepal: synthesis of a systematic literature review

Literature suggests a deeper understanding of farmers’ knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of pesticide use in agriculture, especially in developing countries, to identify interventions to reduce pesticide use in agriculture. In this paper, we thus performed a systematic review of literature on KAP of farmers on chemical pesticide use in Nepal through a systematic literature search on Scopus web repository published between 2000 and 2021. We got 114 publications initially, and with a well-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, we finally reviewed 29 articles for data extraction. The results indicate (i) an inadequate KAP of farmers on pesticide use. For example, three in four farmers were found to wash their clothes after pesticide spray. One in four farmers wore boots and only one in ten farmers wore glasses during pesticide spray. Approximately 54% of farmers take a shower after pesticide spray and just one in four farmers bury empty pesticide containers in the soil. Prior studies identified that the lack of awareness and training on the handling practices is the major cause of pesticide misuse; and through formal education and introducing integrated pest management strategies for controlling pests could reduce pesticide misuse. Another notable finding is the lack of KAP theoretical understanding in the prior publications. Many studies in Nepal studied much less on ‘attitude” but much higher on “practice” of pesticide usage. We thus propose a new KAP study framework for future research to understand ground-level behavioral change and improve the effectiveness of the KAP-related programs and interventions.

Bio-organic soil amendment promotes the suppression of Ralstonia solanacearum by inducing changes in the functionality and composition of rhizosphere bacterial communities.

Stimulating the development of soil suppressiveness against certain pathogens represents a sustainable solution toward reducing pesticide use in agriculture. However, understanding the dynamics of suppressiveness and the mechanisms leading to pathogen control remain largely elusive. Here, we investigated the mechanisms used by the rhizosphere microbiome induces bacterial wilt disease suppression in a long-term field experiment where continuous application of bio-organic fertilizers (BFs) triggered disease suppressiveness when compared to chemical fertilizer application. We further demonstrated in a glasshouse experiment that the suppressiveness of the rhizosphere bacterial communities was triggered mainly by changes in community composition rather than only by the abundance of the introduced biocontrol strain. Metagenomics approaches revealed that members of the families Sphingomonadaceae and Xanthomonadaceae with the ability to produce secondary metabolites were enriched in the BF plant rhizosphere but only upon pathogen invasion. We experimentally validated this observation by inoculating bacterial isolates belonging to the families Sphingomonadaceae and Xanthomonadaceae into conducive soil, which led to a significant reduction in pathogen abundance and increase in nonribosomal peptide synthetase gene abundance. We conclude that priming of the soil microbiome with BF amendment fostered reactive bacterial communities in the rhizosphere of tomato plants in response to biotic disturbance.

Commercially Important Pest Control Agents of Plant and Microbial Origin for The Management of Insect-Pests

The cultural practice was the only crop protection tool during the early days when agriculture came into existence followed by the use of natural pesticides, which included plant and mineral-based products. The earlier record showed that Sumerians used sulfur in 3000 BC while Greeks and Romans used ash, oil, and sulfur in 600BC as pest control agents. The first use of tobacco extract as a pest control product was recorded in the 1600s followed by the use of pyrethrum and other natural products for the protection of plants from pest and diseases. But after the discovery of synthetic pesticides in 1930 and onwards, many effective synthetic pesticides of organochlorine, organophosphate, carbamate, pyrethroid, and neonicotinoid groups dominated the market and the use of the cultural practices and natural products-based pest control agents declined. Now, the use of synthetic pesticides in agriculture is being discouraged due to their toxicity to non-target organisms, increasing pest resistance, undesirable environmental issues, persistence, and residues. The current regulations on synthetic pesticides are again driving the research and development on identification of alternative products, derived from plants and microbes which are effective, environmentally benign and safe to end-users. In fact, this situation is arising mainly due to misuse, over and unscientific uses of recommended pesticides, including spurious pesticides, however, without the use of synthetic pesticides, it will a challenge to feed the growing world population until effective biopesticides are made available to the end-users. Many organizations are refocusing to promote natural farming or organic agriculture in different parts of the world. Some of the natural extracts, oils, and molecules of plant origin and strobilurins, avermectins, spinosads, milbemycins from soil microbes including biocontrol agents identified as crop protection products are now available as effective substitutes to synthetic pesticides. The large-scale production of existing biopesticides and identification of newer biopesticides from microbial and plant resources need to be strengthened to support food security.

Chronic Pesticide Exposure in Farm Workers Is Associated with the Epigenetic Modulation of hsa-miR-199a-5p.

The increasing use of pesticides in intensive agriculture has had a negative impact on human health. It was widely demonstrated how pesticides can induce different genetic and epigenetic alterations associated with the development of different diseases, including tumors and neurological disorders. Therefore, the identification of effective indicators for the prediction of harmful pesticide exposure is mandatory. In this context, the aim of the study was to evaluate the modification of hsa-miR-199a-5p expression levels in liquid biopsy samples obtained from healthy donors and farm workers with chronic exposure to pesticides. For this purpose, the high-sensitive droplet digital PCR assay (ddPCR) was used to detect variation in the expression levels of the selected microRNA (miRNA). The ddPCR analyses revealed a significant down-regulation of hsa-miR-199a-5p observed in individuals exposed to pesticides compared to control samples highlighting the good predictive value of this miRNA as demonstrated by statistical analyses. Overall, the obtained results encourage the analysis of miRNAs as predictive biomarkers of chronic pesticide exposure thus improving the current strategies for the monitoring of harmful pesticide exposure.

Levels of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide and antinuclear antibodies in Brazilian agricultural workers exposed to pesticides and fertilizers

Despite evidence from human and animal studies of pesticide immunotoxicity, little is known about the relationship between agricultural pesticide use and autoimmunity. The objective of the present study was to assess the association between pesticide use and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies and antinuclear antibodies (ANA) levels. A cross-sectional study including healthy 52 agricultural and 68 non-agricultural workers aged 17–69 years was conducted in the Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Serum samples were tested for anti-CCP and ANA by ELISA. Data on pesticide use and covariates were obtained through structured questionnaires. We estimated associations of pesticides and other exposures with log-transformed antibody levels, adjusted for sex, age, education, crops, and fertilizers by multiple linear regression analyzes. Anti-CCP levels were associated with growing certain crops, agricultural tasks, and the use of mancozeb, paraquat, and methomyl. ANA levels were positively associated with azoxystrobin and inversely associated with linuron. These novel findings suggest associations of specific pesticides and fertilizers with anti-CCP antibodies in this healthy agricultural population, supporting the need for larger human studies of preclinical autoimmunity and pesticides.

Resistance intensity status of Anopheles gambiae s.l. species at KOLOKOPE, eastern plateau Togo: A potential site to assess new vector control tools

According to WHO recommendations, the deployment of the next generation of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) for malaria vector control requires appropriate investigations on the insecticide resistance profile of the vector. Most of the next generation of LLINs are impregnated with a combination of pyrethroid insecticides and piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a synergist with an additional impact on the increase in the mortality rate of Anopheles gambiae s.l. (Diptera: Culicidae). Kolokopé is a cotton-growing area in the central region of Togo characterized by an intensive use of agricultural pesticides and insecticides where there is a phase II experimental hut station. For the characterization of the site, WHO susceptibility tests using diagnostic doses of ten insecticides, PBO synergist assays and intensity assays of three pyrethroids (5x and 10x) were conducted on adult female mosquitoes obtained from larvae collected around the site. Anopheles gambiae s.l. from Kolokopé showed high resistance to pyrethroids and DDT, but to a lesser extent to carbamates and organophosphates. Likewise, high intensity of resistance to pyrethroid was observed with less than 40% mortality at 10x deltamethrin, 52 and 29% mortality at 10x permethrin and 10x alphacypermethrin, respectively. Also, PBO treatment resulted in increased mortality which was higher than the mortality rate at 10x doses of pyrethroids. The high pyrethroid intensity resistance recorded at Kolokopé could be mainly due to the selection pressure on An. gambiae s.l. caused by the excessive use of insecticide in agriculture. These results can be used to assess the next generation of LLINs either in experimental hut or at a community trial.

Влияние средства защиты растений на основе Bаcillus atrophaeus ВКПМ В-11474 на агрономические характеристики бахчевых культур в Астраханской области

The Astrakhan region is the main vegetable-growing and melon-growing center of Russia, characterized by favorable agro–climatic conditions for growing vegetable and gourd crops. The agro-climatic conditions of the region make it possible to obtain the earliest, highest and most stable yields. Currently, in the southern regions, the problem of reducing the use of mineral fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture with their replacement by biological methods &#x0D; of plant protection is quite acute. Biological methods, in comparison with chemical means of protection, are distinguished by the selectivity of impact and by the environmental safety. Preliminary studies have shown that the studied laboratory sample of the agent based on Bacillus atrophaeus B‐11474 has pronounced fungistatic and growth-stimulating activities, which were confirmed by the field research results. The studied laboratory sample of the agent had a positive effect on the germination, development and biometric parameters of watermelon. The sample helped to increase productivity, reduce anthracnose, improve the qualitative and quantitative indicators of the cultivated crop. The prospects for using the triple treatment (spraying the bottom of the furrow and double spillage under the root of the plant with a laboratory sample of the agent have been established. In general, the use of a biological agent in the cultivation of watermelon in the fields of the Astrakhan region will make it possible to obtain environmentally friendly and safe products.