Use Of Agricultural Chemicals Research Articles

Nanoparticles in Plants: Uptake, Transport and Physiological Activity in Leaf and Root.

Due to their unique characteristics, nanoparticles are increasingly used in agricultural production through foliage spraying and soil application. The use of nanoparticles can improve the efficiency of agricultural chemicals and reduce the pollution caused by the use of agricultural chemicals. However, introducing nanoparticles into agricultural production may pose risks to the environment, food and even human health. Therefore, it is crucial to pay attention to the absorption migration, and transformation in crops, and to the interaction with higher plants and plant toxicity of nanoparticles in agriculture. Research shows that nanoparticles can be absorbed by plants and have an impact on plant physiological activities, but the absorption and transport mechanism of nanoparticles is still unclear. This paper summarizes the research progress of the absorption and transportation of nanoparticles in plants, especially the effect of size, surface charge and chemical composition of nanoparticle on the absorption and transportation in leaf and root through different ways. This paper also reviews the impact of nanoparticles on plant physiological activity. The content of the paper is helpful to guide the rational application of nanoparticles in agricultural production and ensure the sustainability of nanoparticles in agricultural production.

Nanotechnology future in food using carbohydrate macromolecules: A state-of-the-art review

It is commonly known that agricultural pest and disease management is achieved through the use of agricultural chemicals and other synthetic compounds, which can contaminate water, soil, and food. Using agrochemicals indiscriminately has negative effects on the environment and poor food quality. In contrast, the world's population is increasing rapidly, and arable land is diminishing daily. Traditional agricultural methods must be replaced by nanotechnology-based treatments that efficiently address both the demands of the present and the needs of the future. As a promising contributor to sustainable agriculture and food production worldwide, nanotechnology has been applied through innovative and resourceful tools. Recent advances in nanomaterial engineering have increased agricultural and food sector production and protected crops using nanoparticles (1000 nm). Agrochemicals, nutrients, and genes can now be distributed to plants in a precise and tailored manner through nanoencapsulation (nanofertilizers, nanopesticides, and genes). Despite the advancement of technology in agriculture, some areas remain unexplored. The various agricultural domains must therefore be updated in priority order. The development of long-lasting and efficient nanoparticle materials will be key to the development of future eco-friendly and nanoparticle-based technologies. We thoroughly covered the many types of nanoscale agro-materials and gave an overview of biological techniques in nano-enabled tactics that can effectively reduce plant biotic and abiotic challenges while potentially boosting plant nutritional values.

A “lifeline out of the COVID‐19 crisis”? An ecofeminist critique of the European Green Deal

A “lifeline out of the <scp>COVID</scp>‐19 crisis”? An ecofeminist critique of the European Green Deal

Pterygium formation in banana workers due to chemicals in the packing area

Pterygium is an ocular pathology among workers in Ecuador's agricultural and productive areas. The present study aimed to identify the relationship between the use of agricultural chemicals, sun exposure, and other irritants and the appearance of pterygium in the personnel of the packing area of the San Luis farmof the Panigon enclosure of the province of Los Rios, Ecuador, Colombia. Between April and September 2022. An analytical, descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out. As a result, it was found that 70% of workers with pterygium are detected, although the company applies biosecurity protocols. It confirms previous studies pointing to chemical exposure and sunlight as the leading causes of pterygium. Implementing visual care practices was reaffirmed, avoiding exposure to chemical factors.

The grapevine LysM receptor-like kinase VvLYK5-1 recognizes chitin oligomers through its association with VvLYK1-1.

The establishment of defense reactions to protect plants against pathogens requires the recognition of invasion patterns (IPs), mainly detected by plasma membrane-bound pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). Some IPs, also termed elicitors, are used in several biocontrol products that are gradually being developed to reduce the use of chemicals in agriculture. Chitin, the major component of fungal cell walls, as well as its deacetylated derivative, chitosan, are two elicitors known to activate plant defense responses. However, recognition of chitooligosaccharides (COS) in Vitis vinifera is still poorly understood, hampering the improvement and generalization of protection tools for this important crop. In contrast, COS perception in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana is well described and mainly relies on a tripartite complex formed by the cell surface lysin motif receptor-like kinases (LysM-RLKs) AtLYK1/CERK1, AtLYK4 and AtLYK5, the latter having the strongest affinity for COS. In grapevine, COS perception has for the moment only been demonstrated to rely on two PRRs VvLYK1-1 and VvLYK1-2. Here, we investigated additional players by overexpressing in Arabidopsis the two putative AtLYK5 orthologs from grapevine, VvLYK5-1 and VvLYK5-2. Expression of VvLYK5-1 in the atlyk4/5 double mutant background restored COS sensitivity, such as chitin-induced MAPK activation, defense gene expression, callose deposition and conferred non-host resistance to grapevine downy mildew (Erysiphe necator). Protein-protein interaction studies conducted in planta revealed a chitin oligomer-triggered interaction between VvLYK5-1 and VvLYK1-1. Interestingly, our results also indicate that VvLYK5-1 mediates the perception of chitin but not chitosan oligomers showing a part of its specificity.

Chemical and Microbial Characterization of Fermented Forest Litters Used as Biofertilizers

The excessive use of chemicals in intensive agriculture has had a negative impact on soil diversity and fertility. A strategy for developing sustainable agriculture could rely on the use of microbial-based fertilizers, known as biofertilizers. An alternative to marketed products could be offered to small farmers if they could produce their own biofertilizers using forest litters, which harbor one of the highest microbial diversities. The aim of this study is to characterize microbial communities of Fermented Forest Litters (FFL), assuming that the fermentation process will change both their abundance and diversity. We investigated two types of differing in the chemical composition of the initial litters used and the climatic context of the forest where they are originated from. The abundance and diversity of bacterial and fungal communities were assessed using quantitative PCR and molecular genotyping techniques. The litter chemical compositions were compared before and after fermentation using Infrared spectrometry. Results obtained showed that fermentation increased the abundance of bacteria but decreased that of fungi. Low pH and change in organic matter composition observed after fermentation also significantly reduced the α-diversity of both bacterial and fungal communities. The higher proportion of aliphatic molecules and lower C/N of the FFLs compared to initial litters indicate that FFLs should be rapidly decomposed once added into the soil. This preliminary study suggests that the agronomic interest of FFLs used as biofertilizers is probably more related to the contribution of nutrients easily assimilated by plants than to the diversity of microorganisms that compose it. Further studies must be conducted with sequencing techniques to identify precisely the microbial species likely to be beneficial to plant growth.

A Novel Approach: Stimulatory Effect of Bioenzyme supplementation on quality of Mung bean

Organic farming nowadays is a major area of interest for research. It is the best way to restore disturbed ecological balance due to excessive use of chemicals in agriculture like fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, etc. The present study was designed to evaluate the potential of eco- friendly product bioenzyme on biochemical and oxidative stress parameters of mung (Vigna radiata). A field experiment was conducted at Loharpipliya village, district Dewas (M.P.) during March-May 2022. Various dilutions of Bioenzyme were sprayed at the interval of 15 days after the two leaves stage of the plant. Four treatments were designed – Control (without any treatment), T1 (1ml bioenzyme/l water), T2 (2 ml bioenzyme/l water), and T3 (3 ml bioenzyme/l water). Photosynthetic pigments were significantly increased in all the treatments involving bioenzyme collated to control. A highly significant increment in carbohydrate and protein content in leaves of mung was reported with T2 treatment. Oxidative stress assessed in terms of MDA and proline was observed to decrease significantly with all treatments. Among all the three concentrations of bioenzyme used in the present study, the best results were obtained with the spraying of 2ml bioenzyme/l water (T2). Bioenzyme can be a good alternative for farmers to improve the quality of mung without the use of harmful chemicals to avoid adverse effects on soil and crop quality. Though further research is required for use of bioenzyme with other crops too.

Fertilizers disrupt the electric feel of flowers

Electricity is literally all around us. As humans, we generate weak electric fields whenever we move our muscles; spiders use static electricity in the air to fly across great distances; and geckos use static in their sticky feet to scale vertical walls with ease. Since everything has an electric field, we can imagine that this fundamental force of nature plays an important role in many ecological interactions. Among insects, bumblebees are known to alter the static electricity of flowers to communicate with members of their hive; the positive charge that collects on their tiny hairs alters the electric field around a visited flower for ∼100 s, communicating to the next bee that buzzes by that the nectar and pollen rewards from that flower have already been exhausted. Ellard Hunting and colleagues from University of Bristol, UK, and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USA, set out to test whether the application of agricultural sprays alters the electric field of flowers and whether bumblebees can detect these disruptions.The pervasive use of chemicals in agriculture is a substantial source of pollution. But besides chemical toxicity, little is known about how agrochemicals otherwise affect plant–pollinator interactions. Hunting and colleagues observed that bumblebees tend to hover around chemically treated flowers and decide not to land. To investigate the cause of this avoidance behaviour, the researchers developed a computational model for how the application of agricultural sprays may alter floral electric fields up to 4 cm from the flower. Their model considered how the presence of droplets on the flower's surface and localized increases in humidity from a spray application might impact the flower's electric field.Next, the researchers studied the effect of common agricultural fertilizers on flower features that bees recognize. To see if fertilizer sprays change the way bees see flowers, the researchers determined what wavelengths of light are reflected from droplets with and without fertilizers added. To study whether fertilizer sprays change the way flowers smell, they measured how much effort the bees put into feeding when offered sugar water laced with fertilizer compared with just sugar water. Lastly, to visualize the electric fields surrounding various blooms, the scientists sprayed charged coloured powder particles onto the centre of ragwort flowers and observed how the powder distributed across the surfaces. Although the fertilizers did not affect how bees see or smell flowers, the chemicals did alter the electric field around each bloom for several minutes.Next, Hunting and colleagues tested whether the adverse effects of spray applications persist over time. To do this, they planted electrodes into the cut stems of potted lavender and Texas bluebell plants and recorded the electrical current streaming down the stems in response to different spray applications. While a water spray caused a change in current that only lasted 30–60 s, a spray containing the fertilizer caused a consistent change in current that lasted up to 16 min. A spray with another common agricultural chemical – the pesticide Imidacloprid – induced a change in current that lasted up to 25 mins. Even subsequent water sprays, simulating rain, produced prolonged changes in the plant stem's electrical signature, suggesting that this effect can endure even after a single application of fertilizer.Finally, the researchers observed wild bumblebees foraging on cut flowers with artificially applied electric fields to mimic the effect of fertilizers. They pierced lavender stems with metal electrodes, placed them in glass jars of tap water, and attached a 13 V battery to produce an electric current in the plant. By recording 2 h videos and counting the number of bumblebees that approached versus those that landed on the lavender, the team showed that bumblebees somehow sense weird electricity as they approach a flower and land less as a result, serving as a healthy reminder that as humans we affect our environments in ways we can't even sense.

Influences of landscape pattern on water quality at multiple scales in an agricultural basin of western China

Determining the associations between landscape pattern and river water quality and quantifying the abrupt change points of landscape metrics are vital to optimize landscape planning and improve basin water quality. This study took an agricultural basin in western China as a case study. River water quality of 61 sub-basin outlets were monitored during wet and dry seasons from 2020 to 2021. Landscape metrics were extracted at 100 m, 300 m, 500 m riparian buffer and sub-basin scales, respectively. Relationships between water quality and landscape pattern at multiple scales were explored by using redundancy analysis (RDA). Results showed that urban-related landscape metrics served as the primary contributor to degrade water quality during both seasons, followed by cropland-related metrics, which might be attributed to the increase of urban land and reduction of agricultural chemical fertilizer use. Landscape metrics could better explain the water quality variations during wet season than dry season. The explanatory abilities of landscape metrics to overall water quality appeared little difference among spatial scales during wet season, whereas landscape metrics within 100 m riparian buffer had much larger explanatory rate than other spatial scales during dry season. Results of abrupt change point analysis revealed that the abrupt change interval values (ACIVs) of percentage of urban land (PLANDurban) and the largest patch index of urban land (LPIurban) differed among COD, TN, and TP. The recommended threshold values of PLANDurban and LPIurban for COD, TN, and TP management were smaller than 11.0%, 2.5%, and 1.0%, respectively. When the PLANDurban or LPIurban exceeded 19.0%, the TN, TP, and COD pollution would all significantly accelerate. Therefore, a limit value of 19% of PLANDurban and LPIurban, respectively is put forward. From dry season to wet season, the ACIVs of PLANDurban and LPIurban for COD concentration increased, whereas they decreased for TN and TP concentrations. Our results can provide scientific insights into sustainable landscape planning and effective water quality protection in agricultural basins.

Determination of elements in river water

Main textThe need for quality assessment of anthropogenic impact on environmental pollution is increasing due to discharge from various industries, the use of chemicals in agriculture and the consumption of fossil fuels. Diminishing resources such as natural waters used for the cultivation of agricultural products, plant and animal habitats are under severe pollution pressure and are at constant risk. Several parameters, such as Pb, Cd, Ni, Hg were listed by Water Framework Directive in Directive (2008/105/EC) in the priority substances. Cadmium and Hg were identified as priority hazardous substances whereas As is an important contaminant for its potential toxicological and carcinogenic effects.An inter-comparison study is organised in EURAMET TC-MC in order to demonstrate the capability participants for measuring five elements in river water. The participants carried out measurements for analytes: Pb, Cd, Ni and As as mandatory elements, and Se as an optional one. Participants were asked to perform the measurements with respect to the protocol provided.To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database https://www.bipm.org/kcdb/.The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

Trichoderma Species: An Overview of Current Status and Potential Applications for Sustainable Agriculture

In agro-ecosystems, Trichoderma species are beneficial microorganisms that improve soil health and crop development. They form mutualistic endophytic relationships with a wide range of plant species, promoting host growth, protecting against pathogen attack, and improving micro-and macronutrient uptake and use efficiency. As a result, they should be promoted because they have the potential to improve agricultural sustainability while reducing the use of harmful chemicals in agriculture. This review provides an overview of the current and potential applications of Trichoderma species for sustainable agriculture, their beneficial roles and how they can be used to boost plant growth and crop yield.

Climate change increases the suitable area and suitability degree of rubber tree powdery mildew in China

Rubber tree powdery mildew is one of the most important diseases restricting the development of the natural rubber industry and the improvement of economic efficiency of rubber production. Climate change has seriously influenced the distribution and transmission of rubber tree powdery mildew. However, the impacts of future climate change on the suitable area and suitability degree of rubber tree powdery mildew have been rarely investigated. Based on environmental and disaster data of rubber tree powdery mildew in the baseline (1970–2000) and future climate change scenarios (2021–2040, 2041–2060, 2061–2080, and 2081–2100), Maximum Entropy Models (MaxEnt) model was used to simulate the impacts of future climate change on the distribution of suitable area and the suitability degree of rubber tree powdery mildew in China. The results showed that the MaxEnt model could effectively simulate the historical distribution and suitability degree of rubber tree powdery mildew. The top two major environmental variables were mean temperature of driest quarter and temperature seasonality considering their contribution rates of 44.2% and 24.61%, respectively. Currently, the suitable areas of the rubber tree powdery mildew were mainly concentrated in central and southern Hainan Island, southern Yunnan province, southern Guangxi province, southwestern Guangdong province, and southern Fujian province. Compared with the baseline, the suitable area of rubber tree powdery mildew would enlarge by 0.24%, 0.59%, 0.78%, and 3.25% respectively under 2021–2040, 2041–2060, 2061–2080, and 2081–2100 in China. The suitability degree of rubber tree powdery mildew would increase under future climate change scenarios in China with most significant increase in Hainan and Yunnan rubber planting areas. The key areas for rubber tree powdery mildew prevention and control would concentrate in the southern Yunnan province and the central Hainan Island. The study results could provide an important reference for ensuring the safe production of rubber tree and reducing the use and residue of agricultural chemicals and environmental impacts. • Temperature mainly determines the distribution of rubber tree powdery mildew. • Climate change enlarges the suitable area of rubber tree powdery mildew in China. • Climate change increases suitability degree of rubber tree powdery mildew in China.

Bacteria in Soil: Promising Bioremediation Agents in Arid and Semi-Arid Environments for Cereal Growth Enhancement

In arid regions, starchy agricultural products such as wheat and rice provide essential carbohydrates, minerals, fibers and vitamins. However, drought, desiccation, high salinity, potentially toxic metals and hydrocarbon accumulation are among the most notable stresses affecting soil quality and cereal production in arid environments. Certain soil bacteria, referred to as Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR), colonize the plant root environment, providing beneficial advantages for both soil and plants. Beyond their ability to improve plant growth under non-stressed conditions, PGPR can establish symbiotic and non-symbiotic interactions with plants growing under stress conditions, participating in soil bioremediation, stress alleviation and plant growth restoration. Moreover, the PGPR ability to fix nitrogen, to solubilize insoluble forms of nutrients and to produce other metabolites such as siderophores, phytohormones, antibiotics and hydrolytic enzymes makes them ecofriendly alternatives to the excessive use of unsuitable and cost-effective chemicals in agriculture. The most remarkable PGPR belong to the genera Arthrobacter, Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Bacillus, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, etc. Therefore, high cereal production in arid environments can be ensured using PGPR. Herein, the potential role of such bacteria in promoting wheat and rice production under both normal and derelict soils is reviewed and highlighted.

Impacts of Extension Contact on the Adoption of Formulated Fertilizers and Farm Performance among Large-Scale Farms in Rural China

Growing concerns about the environmental costs of agricultural production have given new impetus to the promotion of sustainable agricultural production technologies that can reduce soil erosion and the excessive use of agricultural chemicals. Although numerous policies have been implemented to popularize soil testing and formulated fertilization technologies in China, the diffusion of the technology among large-scale farmers (LSFs) has been addressed only rarely. We used a two-stage controlled function model to control for endogeneity and selection bias in contacting extension staff to assess the effect of an extension contact on technology adoption behavior by LSFs, Propensity Score Matching techniques are also utilized to analyze the effects of extension contact on the rice yields and nutrient use amount. Empirical results from Jiangsu and Jiangxi provinces show that extension contact plays a crucial role in promoting soil testing and the adoption of formulated fertilization technologies; LSFs’ adoption raises rice yields, however, the impact of extension contact on reducing nutrient use amount does not pass the significance test. The findings add to the theoretical literature on technology extension, and we used them to suggest policies to encourage tailored agricultural extension systems by constructing rural technological extension networks.

Exploring the potential of endophytes and their metabolites for bio-control activity.

In the current scenario, extensive use of synthetic chemicals in agriculture is creating notable problems such as disease and pest resistance, residues, yield loss, and soil unproductiveness. These harmful chemicals are eventually reaching our food plate through bioaccumulation and biomagnification in a crop. As a result, beneficial microorganisms are regularly being explored as a safer option in the agriculture sector for their ability to produce valuable bioactive secondary metabolites, particularly for crop protection. Such natural (bio) products are harmless to plants, humans, and the environment. In our quest for the search of the sources of bioactive constituents from the microorganisms, endophytes are the front-runner. They mutually reside inside the plant providing support against phytopathogens by releasing an array of bioactive secondary metabolites building climate reliance of the host plant. The purpose of this review is to examine the biocontrol potential of endophytes against bacterial and fungal pathogens in sustainable agriculture. We also attempt to explain the structure and activity of the secondary metabolites produced by bacterial and fungal endophytes in conjunction with their biocontrol function. Additionally, we address potential future research directions for endophytes as biopesticides.

Sustainability assessment of traditional, intensive and highly-intensive olive growing systems in Tunisia by integrating Life Cycle and Multicriteria Decision analyses

Olive cultivation is the most important agro-ecosystem in the Mediterranean basin. Despite the remarkable intensification of this system (i.e., the use of high tree densities and large amounts of inputs), the environmental and socio-economic impacts of this transformation have been poorly studied to date. For this purpose, an integrated Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment framework is developed to assess the life cycle sustainability of innovative olive farming systems (intensive and highly-intensive) compared to traditional ones (conventional and organic) in Tunisia, one of the world's leading olive oil producers. The methodological framework consists of two parts: Life Cycle evaluation of olive systems (calculation of impact categories) and Muticriteria Decision Analysis integration (calculation of a sustainability score for each olive system). The results of the Multicriteria Decision Analysis indicate that stakeholders assign the highest priority to environmental aspects, followed by economic and social ones, especially, in the water resource depletion, internal rate of return, and human toxicity impact categories. According to the Life Cycle evaluation, fertilizers, soil management and harvesting are the agricultural practices with the highest impacts. In terms of sustainability, organic systems achieve better scores per ha and innovative systems per ton. Due to the critical water situation in Tunisia, the results suggest the need of: 1) improving the economic performance of rainfed olive farming systems, being the most prominent, by integrating farmers into cooperatives and encouraging conventional producers to get involved in the organic sector, and 2) mitigating the resource depletion impacts of intensive and highly-intensive systems through innovation based on integrated production (a certified system aimed to reduce environmental impacts derived from the use of chemicals in agriculture through the controlled use of production techniques), and limiting these systems to areas of low ecological vulnerability.

Phytostimulants in sustainable agriculture

The consistent use of synthetic fertilizers and chemicals in traditional agriculture has not only compromised the fragile agroecosystems but has also adversely affected human, aquatic, and terrestrial life. The use of phytostimulants is an alternative eco-friendly approach that eliminates ecosystem disruption while maintaining agricultural productivity. Phytostimulants include living entities and materials, such as microorganisms and nanomaterials, which when applied to plants or to the rhizosphere, stimulate plant growth and induce tolerance to plants against biotic and abiotic stresses. In this review, we focus on plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), beneficial fungi, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth-promoting fungi (PGPF), actinomycetes, cyanobacteria, azolla, and lichens, and their potential benefits in the crop improvement, and mitigation of abiotic and biotic stresses either alone or in combination. PGPR, AMF, and PGPF are plant beneficial microbes that can release phytohormones, such as indole acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA), and cytokinins, promoting plant growth and improving soil health, and in addition, they also produce many secondary metabolites, antibiotics, and antioxidant compounds and help to combat biotic and abiotic stresses. Their ability to act as phytostimulator and a supplement of inorganic fertilizers is considered promising in practicing sustainable agriculture and organic farming. Glomalin is a proteinaceous product, produced by AMF, involved in soil aggregation and elevation of soil water holding capacity under stressed and unstressed conditions. The negative effects of continuous cropping can be mitigated by AMF biofertilization. The synergistic effects of PGPR and PGPF may be more effective. The mechanisms of control exercised by PGPF either direct or indirect to suppress plant diseases viz. by competing for space and nutrients, mycoparasitism, antibiosis, mycovirus-mediated cross-protection, and induced systemic resistance (ISR) have been discussed. The emerging role of cyanobacterial metabolites and the implication of nanofertilizers have been highlighted in sustainable agriculture.

Influence of environmental factors on seed germination and seedling characteristics of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)

Information regarding the germination and seedling growth behavior of a potential weed species is an important tool to manage weeds without the use of agricultural chemicals that cause harmful effects on human health and the environment. A series of experiments were directed to investigate the influence of different environmental factors (temperature, pH, NaCl, moisture stress, and seed burial depth) on germination and seedling emergence of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) under controlled conditions. Results suggested that 25 °C is the optimum temperature for maximum germination (95%) and seedling growth of perennial ryegrass, however, a quick decline was observed at 35 °C. Seed germination was unaffected by pH levels ranging from 5 to 10. The 92% seed germination was recorded where no salt stress was applied and germination was reduced by 87% at 250 mMNaCl concentration. Seed germination was unaffected by osmotic potential ranges from 0 to − 0.4 MPa thereafter declined and completely inhibited at − 0.8 or − 1.0 MPa. No seed emerged at the soil surface or a soil depth of 6 or 7 cm and 90% emergence occurred at 1 cmsoil depth. The germination and seedlings parameters like time to initial germination, mean germination time, time taken to 50% germination and germination index, root and shoot length, and fresh and dry weight of root and shoot are significantly affected with the environmental factors. The information obtained in this study will be helpful to develop better management strategies for germination and the emergence of perennial ryegrass in areas where it has the ability to rapidly colonize.

Impact of Environmental Pollution on Female Reproduction

The increased pollution in the world atmosphere is a global concern. Water, air, and soil are polluted by various sources, such as farm fertilizer, sewage industrial waste products, fumes, and plastics, which in turn impact human health. Plastics and other mixtures of waste affect live in the water. Moreover, the ecosystem is disrupted by the use of heavy metal-containing chemicals in agriculture, and those are eventually consumed by humans. The consequences are a significant negative impact on health including reproductive health, which impairs fertility in the human population. Reproductive functions are severely affected by different chemicals which may interfere with hormonal functions. Greater consequences are faced by the women as the number of germ cells present in the ovary is fixed during fetal life, and which are nonrenewable. From the production of ovum to fertilization, to implantation, and finally continuation of pregnancy, all are affected by the heavy metals and endocrine disruptors. Lifestyle modifications such as consumption of organic foods, plastic product avoidance, separation of residential areas from industrial/agricultural areas, proper waste disposal, and so on, may help to improve the situation.

Effects of chronic exposure to the fungicide vinclozolin on gut microbiota community in an aquatic turtle

Environmental issues associated with the widespread use of agricultural chemicals are being seriously concerned. Of them, toxicological impacts of fungicides in aquatic organisms are often overlooked. Here, soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) hatchlings were exposed to different concentrations of vinclozolin (0, 5, 50, 500 and 5000 μg/L) for 60 days to investigate the impact of fungicide exposure on their gut microbial composition and diversity. Vinclozolin exposure significantly affected the composition of the gut microbiota in hatchling turtles. Unexpectedly, gut bacterial diversity and richness of vinclozolin-exposed turtles (but not for the 5000 μg/L-exposed group) were relatively higher than control ones. At the phylum level, the abundance of Firmicutes was decreased, while that of Proteobacteria was increased in high-concentration groups. At the genus level, some bacterial genera including Cellulosilyticum, Romboutsia and Clostridium_sensu_stricto, were significantly changed after vinclozolin exposure; and some uniquely observed in high-concentration groups. Gene function predictions showed that genes related to amino acid metabolism were less abundant, while those related to energy metabolism more abundant in high-concentration groups. The prevalence of some pathogens inevitably affected gut health status of vinclozolin-exposed turtles. Such gut microbiota dysbiosis might be potentially linked with hepatic metabolite changes induced by vinclozolin exposure.