Use Of Pesticides In Agriculture Research Articles

Biological Approach for Degradation of Pesticides

The environmental pollution is a serious concern globally. The use of pesticides in agriculture results in soil and water pollution. The pesticides cause harmful effects on the humans and other living organisms. The solution for the degradation of pesticides is biological approach which is very cheap and does not cause any pollution. The paper here mentions the biological approach for the degradation of pesticides. This will also solve the problem of pollution of soil and water due to use of pesticides which is very essential.

Economic Development and Pesticide Use in EU Agriculture: A Nonlinear Panel Data Autoregressive Distributed Lag Approach

Within the regime established by the Directive on Sustainable Use of Pesticides (SUDP); the present work explores the relationship between pesticides’ agricultural use per hectare of cropland and the GDP per capita of the rural population for twenty-five EU countries to unveil the efficiency of the current EU strategy. With the econometric tool of panel nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) cointegration technique; we try to capture potential asymmetries in the agricultural use of pesticides concerning positive and negative variations in agricultural income. The findings validate the existence of a long-run relationship that supports an Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC); i.e., an inverted U-shaped relationship between the variables; since increasing agricultural income is related to reductions in the use of pesticides after the turning point. Even though this result is not validated in the short run; our findings confirm the existence of a steady-state situation with asymmetric responses to pesticides. In terms of policy implications; more measures need to be taken; along with the education of farmers; aiming to enhance their consciousness towards environmental issues and; in consequence; for them to prefer environmentally friendly plant protection methods over chemical ones.

Establishing the extent of pesticide contamination in Irish agricultural soils

To establish meaningful and sustainable policy directives for sustainable pesticide use in agriculture, baseline knowledge of pesticide levels in soils is required. To address this, five pesticides and one metabolite widely used in Irish agriculture and five neonicotinoid compounds pesticides were screened from soils from 25 fields. These sites represented a diversity of soil and land use types. Prothioconazole was detected in 16 of the 18 sites where it had been recently applied, with the highest maximum concentration quantified of 46 μg/kg. However, a week after application only four fields had prothioconazole concentrations above the limit of quantification (LOQ). Fluroxypyr was applied in 11 sites but was not detected above LOQ. Glyphosate and AMPA were not detected. Interestingly, neonicotinoids were detected in 96% of all sampling sites, even though they were not reported as recently applied. Excluding neonicotinoids, 60% of sites were found to contain pesticide residues of compounds that were not previously applied, with boscalid and azoxystrobin detected in 15 of the 25 sites sampled. The total number of pesticides detected in Irish soils were significantly negatively correlated with clay fraction, while average pesticide concentrations were significantly positively correlated with log Kow values. 17 fields were found to have total pesticide concentrations in excess of 0.5 μg/kg, even when recently applied pesticides were removed from calculations. Theoretical consideration of quantified pesticides determined that azoxystrobin has high leaching risk, while boscalid, which was detected but not applied, has an accumulation risk. This information provides insight into the current level of pesticide contamination in Irish agricultural soil and contributes to the European-level effort to understand potential impacts of pesticide contamination in soil.

The Biosurfactants Mannosylerythritol Lipids (MELs) as Stimulant on the Germination of Lactuca sativa L.

The application of pesticides in agriculture leads to improved crop quality and promotes high productivity. However, the uninterrupted use of these chemicals is directly related to environmental impacts, affecting biodiversity and the health of ecosystems and humans. In this sense, mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) are a promising alternative, as they are biosurfactants with antimicrobial, amphiphilic characteristics, and low toxicity. Thus, in search of a partial reduction in the use of chemical pesticides in agriculture, this work aimed to evaluate the biostimulant effect of one of the homologs of MELs–MEL-B on the germination of Monica lettuce seeds (Lactuca sativa L.) and the influence on plant growth and root development. The seeds germinated in different concentrations of MEL-B. The incidence of germinated seeds, the germination index, and the average germination time were evaluated. MEL-B at 158 mg/L stimulated seed germination, growth, and seedling development parameters by 65%, while concentrations of 316 and 632 mg/L did not exceed 45% for these parameters. It was observed that MEL-B at 158 mg/L biostimulated the appearance of lateral roots and promoted only 7% of root stress, a difference of 47% for roots grown with MEL-B at 632 mg/L. Furthermore, MEL-B at 158 mg/L was the highest concentration at which there was no phytotoxic effect of MEL-B on seeds. The increase in enzymatic activity corroborates the phytotoxic effect and seed stress at concentrations of 316 and 632 mg/L, showing results of 47% and 54% of stressed roots. In an unprecedented way, this study proved that MEL-B has a biostimulant and phytotoxic effect related to its concentration.

The protective effect of vitamin C on growth, digestive enzymes, immune response, and gill histology in Caspian roach (Rutilus rutilus caspicus) under diazinon stress

In recent years, the increase in the use of agricultural pesticides has endangered the production of marine creatures. However, exposing farmed creatures to water contaminated with pesticides is one of the current challenges. This study aims to investigate the defensive impact of diets containing varying amounts of vitamin C on the growth, digestive enzyme activity, immune response, and resistance of Caspian roach (Rutilus rutilus caspicus) exposed to diazinon. Fish (average weight: 1.12 ± 0.17 g) were fed diets containing 0 (control; C0), 500 (C1), 1000 (C2), and 1500 (C3) mg/kg of vitamin C for 56 days. Then they were exposed to diazinon stress for 14 days (0.32 mg/liter). The highest final weight and lowest feed conversion ratio were obtained in fish fed a diet containing vitamin C. The highest protease activity and lowest amounts of lipase and amylase were observed in the C3 group. At the end of the feeding period, lysozyme activity, total immunoglobulin amount, and complement (ACH50) in the C3 treatment were significantly higher than in the control treatment. After the stress period, lysozyme and complement activity were higher in all groups fed vitamin C supplements than in the control treatment. The highest levels of stress indicators (cortisol and alkaline phosphatase) were detected in the control group before and after stress. Based on the preparation of gill tissue sections, most lesions included edema, hyperplasia, adhesion of secondary lamellae, and necrosis of gill-covering cells. Overall, the results indicate that adding vitamin C to the diet can be used as a sustainable bioremediation tactic and reduce the adverse effects of diazinon exposure in Caspian roach.

Impact of occupational pesticide exposure on the human gut microbiome.

The rising use of pesticides in modern agriculture has led to a shift in disease burden in which exposure to these chemicals plays an increasingly important role. The human gut microbiome, which is partially responsible for the biotransformation of xenobiotics, is also known to promote biotransformation of environmental pollutants. Understanding the effects of occupational pesticide exposure on the gut microbiome can thus provide valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying the impact of pesticide exposure on health. Here we investigate the impact of occupational pesticide exposure on human gut microbiome composition in 7198 participants from the Dutch Microbiome Project of the Lifelines Study. We used job-exposure matrices in combination with occupational codes to retrieve categorical and cumulative estimates of occupational exposures to general pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. Approximately 4% of our cohort was occupationally exposed to at least one class of pesticides, with predominant exposure to multiple pesticide classes. Most participants reported long-term employment, suggesting a cumulative profile of exposure. We demonstrate that contact with insecticides, fungicides and a general "all pesticides" class was consistently associated with changes in the gut microbiome, showing significant associations with decreased alpha diversity and a differing beta diversity. We also report changes in the abundance of 39 different bacterial taxa upon exposure to the different pesticide classes included in this study. Together, the extent of statistically relevant associations between gut microbial changes and pesticide exposure in our findings highlights the impact of these compounds on the human gut microbiome.

Relationship between insecticide resistance profiles in Anopheles gambiae sensu lato and agricultural practices in Côte d’Ivoire

BackgroundInsecticide-based malaria vector control is increasingly undermined due to the development of insecticide resistance in mosquitoes. Insecticide resistance may partially be related to the use of pesticides in agriculture, while the level and mechanisms of resistance might differ between agricultural practices. The current study aimed to assess whether phenotypic insecticide resistance and associated molecular resistance mechanisms in Anopheles gambiae sensu lato differ between agricultural practices.MethodsWe collected An. gambiae s.l. larvae in six sites with three different agricultural practices, including rice, vegetable and cocoa cultivation. We then exposed the emerging adult females to discriminating concentrations of bendiocarb (0.1%), deltamethrin (0.05%), DDT (4%) and malathion (5%) using the standard World Health Organization insecticide susceptibility test. To investigate underlying molecular mechanisms of resistance, we used multiplex TaqMan qPCR assays. We determined the frequency of target-site mutations, including Vgsc-L995F/S and Vgsc-N1570Y, and Ace1-G280S. In addition, we measured the expression levels of genes previously associated with insecticide resistance in An. gambiae s.l., including the cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenases CYP4G16, CYP6M2, CYP6P1, CYP6P3, CYP6P4, CYP6Z1 and CYP9K1, and the glutathione S-transferase GSTe2.ResultsThe An. gambiae s.l. populations from all six agricultural sites were resistant to bendiocarb, deltamethrin and DDT, while the populations from the two vegetable cultivation sites were additionally resistant to malathion. Most tested mosquitoes carried at least one mutant Vgsc-L995F allele that is associated with pyrethroid and DDT resistance. In the cocoa cultivation sites, we observed the highest 995F frequencies (80–87%), including a majority of homozygous mutants and several in co-occurrence with the Vgsc-N1570Y mutation. We detected the Ace1 mutation most frequently in vegetable-growing sites (51–60%), at a moderate frequency in rice (20–22%) and rarely in cocoa-growing sites (3–4%). In contrast, CYP6M2, CYP6P3, CYP6P4, CYP6Z1 and CYP9K1, previously associated with metabolic insecticide resistance, showed the highest expression levels in the populations from rice-growing sites compared to the susceptible Kisumu reference strain.ConclusionIn our study, we observed intriguing associations between the type of agricultural practices and certain insecticide resistance profiles in the malaria vector An. gambiae s.l. which might arise from the use of pesticides deployed for protecting crops.Graphical

Sub-lethal but potentially devastating - The novel insecticide flupyradifurone impairs collective brood care in bumblebees

The worldwide decline in pollinating insects is alarming. One of the main anthropogenic drivers is the massive use of pesticides in agriculture. Risk assessment procedures test pesticides for mortality rates of well-fed, parasite free individuals of a few non-target species. Sublethal and synergistic effects of co-occurring stressors are usually not addressed. Here, we present a simple, wildly applicable bio-essay to assess such effects. Using brood thermoregulation in bumblebee microcolonies as readout, we investigate how this collective ability is affected by long-term feeding exposure to the herbicide glyphosate (5 mg/l), the insecticide flupyradifurone (0.4 mg/l) and the combination of both, when co-occurring with the natural stressor of resource limitation. Documenting brood temperature and development in 53 microcolonies we find no significant effect of glyphosate, while flupyradifurone significantly impaired the collective ability to maintain the necessary brood temperatures, resulting in prolonged developmental times and a decrease in colony growth by over 50 %. This reduction in colony growth has the potential to significantly curtail the reproductive chances of colonies in the field. Our findings highlight the potentially devastating consequences of flupyradifurone use in agriculture even at sub-lethal doses and underline the urgent need for improved risk assessment procedures.

Environmental Pollution and its Effects on Human Health

Environmental pollution poses a widespread issue with significant implications for the well-being of individuals and populations worldwide. The escalating utilization of fossil fuels, improper sewage disposal practices, and indiscriminate use of agricultural pesticides contribute to the pervasive presence of environmental pollution across the globe. To assess the state of environmental pollution and its impact on human health on a global scale, a comprehensive review of relevant scholarly articles was undertaken. The deleterious effects of pollution manifest in elevated rates of cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory ailments, mental disorders, and diarrhea. Each year, approximately 7 million individuals succumb to air pollution-related causes, while an additional 1.6 million people perish due to diseases stemming from water pollution. Environmental pollution emerges as a principal determinant of human morbidity and mortality worldwide, with low-income nations displaying heightened vulnerability. Given the escalating burden of pollution in the modern era, concerted and collaborative efforts by all relevant entities and nations are imperative to mitigate the extent and consequences of pollution on the global environment and human health.

Genotoxicity of Occupational Pesticide Exposures among Agricultural Workers in Arab Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Exposure to pesticides in Arab countries is a significant public health concern due to extensive agricultural activity and pesticide use. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the genotoxic effects of agricultural pesticide exposure in the region, identify research gaps, and assess methodological limitations. Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search yielded five relevant studies conducted in Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. Various genotoxicity assays were employed, revealing a higher level of DNA damage in exposed compared to non-exposed individuals. Farmers exposed to pesticides exhibited a significantly higher occurrence of chromosomal translocation (t(14;18)), micronuclei, and chromosomal aberrations. However, only two studies assessed cytotoxicity indirectly. The studies predominantly focused on male participants, with variations in sample size and pesticide types. The lack of detailed exposure data necessitates cautious interpretation. This review underscores the need for further research on the genotoxicity of occupational pesticide exposure in the Middle East. Future studies should adopt robust study designs, collect biological and environmental samples, conduct repeated sampling, analyze seasonal variations, and encompass diverse study sites associated with specific crop groups.

Effects of Wood Distillate (Pyroligneous Acid) on the Yield Parameters and Mineral Composition of Three Leguminous Crops

The excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture is increasing the demand for novel products to improve the quality of crops in a more sustainable way. Wood distillate (WD, pyroligneous acid) is a by-product obtained during the pyrolysis of plant biomass that can be successfully applied in agriculture due to its ability to enhance the growth, size, and weight of edible plant parts. However, there is little information concerning its plant yield-promoting effects on leguminous crops. The present work investigated the effects of WD on the yield, protein content and mineral composition of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), lentil (Lens culinaris L.) and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) plants grown in field conditions. The application of WD showed remarkable yield-promoting effects mostly in lentil plants, which significantly increased plant and shoot biomass, the number and weight of both pods and seeds, as well as the total seed protein content. Furthermore, seeds from WD-treated plants differentially increased the concentration of elements with high nutritional value for human health, including Fe, Ca, Mg and K. These results suggest that the effects of WD among the legumes tested are species-specific and that WD could be an optimal candidate to grow high-yielding legumes with improved seed nutritional quality.

Decision Support System for Selection of Pesticides in Chili Plants Using the MAUT Method

Diseases in chili plants often cause farmers to experience crop failure. Diseases that are often encountered are leaf spot disease, wilt disease, and anthracnose disease caused by fungi. Therefore, farmers are trying to prevent and reduce the disease by using pesticides. The use of pesticides in agriculture plays a role in preventing and reducing diseases in chili plants. Pesticides for chili plants are quite widely spread on the market and have the advantages of each product offered to farmers, so farmers must be more careful and understanding in choosing pesticides to be used in preventing chili plant diseases. For that we need a decision support system (SPK). The purpose of this research is to apply the MAUT method in SPK which can help chili farmers in selecting pesticides. The data used in this study are 10 types of pesticides as an alternative. While the criteria consist of price, classification, number of diseases eradicated, method of action, shelf life, and formulation concentration. Data analysis uses the MAUT method with the steps of forming a decision matrix, normalizing the decision matrix, determining the utility matrix, calculating the final utility, and ranking. The research results obtained for the three best pesticides are Tridex 80 WP, Ziflo 76 WG, and Cabriotop 60 WG.

Farmer’s perception of agrochemical use on honeybees and honey production in Benin: Implication for organic honey production

Beekeeping faces numerous challenges, including the use of agrochemicals. Honeybee colonies are lost because of chemical pesticides use in agriculture to control pests and diseases, which affects detoxifying mechanisms and immune responses, making them more vulnerable to parasites. The purpose of this study was to investigate people’s perception of the impact of agricultural pesticide use on the honeybee community and honey production in northern Benin. A survey was conducted using a questionnaire among 100 beekeepers. Individual interviews were used to gather information on treated crops, the distance between beehives and these cultivated fields, the effect of pesticides and herbicides, alternative methods to pesticide use and honey production. Chemical pesticides such as Callifor G, Kalach, Atrazila 80 WP, Herbextra, Atraforce, Adwumawura (480 SL), Cottonex, Thalis, Cotonix and Cypercal P 330 EC were used in agricultural fields, and beehives were typically found near treated fields. The majority of beekeepers (79%) are aware of the risks associated with pesticides and employ non-pesticide alternatives such as biopesticides to minimize them. In general, beekeepers reported a reduction in the big breed of bees and a 40% decrease in the little breed. When the beehives were placed far away from the treated areas, the honey yield was higher. Alternative pest management strategies to farmers' pesticide use would result in long-term increases in honey production and would constitute the main step of the conversion to organic apiculture in northern Benin.

The effect of agricultural land retirement on pesticide use

Agricultural land retirement generates risks and opportunities for ecological communities and ecosystem services. Of particular interest is the influence of retired cropland on agricultural pests and pesticides, as these uncultivated lands may directly shift the distribution of pesticide use and may serve as a source of pests and/or natural enemies for remaining active croplands. Few studies have investigated how agricultural pesticide use is impacted by land retirement. Here we couple field-level crop and pesticide data from over 200,000 field-year observations and 15 years of production in Kern County, CA, USA to investigate: 1) how much pesticide use and applied toxicity are avoided annually due to the direct effects of retirement, 2) whether surrounding retirement drives pesticide use on active cropland and what types of pesticides are most influenced, and 3) whether the effect of surrounding retirement on pesticide use is dependent on the age or revegetation cover on retired parcels. Our results suggest about 100 kha are idle in any given year, which equates to about 1.3-3 M kg of pesticide active ingredients foregone. We also find retired lands lead to a small increase in total pesticide use on nearby active lands even after controlling for a combination of crop-, farmer-, region- and year-specific heterogeneity. More specifically, the results suggest a 10 % increase in retired lands nearby results in about a 0.6 % increase in pesticides, with the effect sizes increasing as a function of the duration of continuous fallowing, but decreasing or even reversing sign at high levels of revegetation cover. Our results suggest increasingly prevalent agricultural land retirement can shift the distribution of pesticides based on what crops are retired and what active crops remain nearby.

Development and Evaluation of a Liquid Formulation of Trichoderma viride as a Bio-Pesticide for Pest Management

The use of bio pesticides in modern agriculture is acknowledged as an efficient substitute for chemical pesticides because they are based on natural ingredients. Fungal bio pesticides are the most widely used and have a lot of success stories among the various bio pesticides. Trichoderma is a genus of filamentous fungi that has several promising bio control agents for different plant diseases. Trichoderma viride uses a variety of strategies to fight plant diseases, including high reproducibility, adaptability, production of enzymes and antibiotics, capacity to colonies the rhizosphere, and significant inhibitory effects against phytophathogenic fungi. The prospective Trichoderma viride isolates are produced utilizing various carriers either through solid or liquid fermentation technologies, however solid fermentation produces the highest levels of reproductive capacity. High cost of substrate and storge methods are major problems to accelerate the production. The aim of our research is commercially available substrates were carried out to screen out stabilization of formulations for small scale production of Trichoderma vride. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 11(2): 60-65.

Factors affecting the knowledge of vegetable farmers of Chitwan and Makwanpur district over pesticide use

A study was conducted in two districts of Nepal to determine the factors influencing the knowledge of vegetable farmers regarding pesticide use. The use of pesticides in agriculture is considered necessary but can pose significant risks if handled inadequately or impractically. The study collected data from 136 vegetable growers, with 68 farmers from each district, and also involved 5 agro vets from both districts using random sampling techniques. The findings indicated that only 13.23% of the farmers were found to wear full personal protective equipment (PPE), while 83.08% used partial PPE, and 3.67% applied pesticides without any protective gear. This finding was statistically significant at the 10% level. Among the different types of protective gear, masks were the most commonly used by the farmers. The majority of farmers (62.5%) reported being poisoned during pesticide mixing and spraying, with eye irritation being the most frequently reported symptom. Farm households that underwent training in pesticide usage and vegetable cultivation experienced a statistical enhancement of 20.6% in their knowledge. Moreover, farmers who were educated, had access to extension services, had long experience in pesticide usage, or had a history of poisoning in their farm household witnessed corresponding improvements of 9%, 18%, 2.1%, and 9.3% in their knowledge of pesticide use. The study urges agricultural organizations to implement training, promote literacy, offer extension services, and raise awareness to enhance farmers' knowledge and safety, contributing to sustainable agriculture and farmer well-being.

Natural pest control: Plants enlist their enemies’ enemies

These stealthy survival tactics could teach us how to curb the widespread use of chemical pesticides in agriculture. But first, researchers must learn how seemingly helpless flora deploy this masterful strategy.

The Potential of Magnolia spp. in the Production of Alternative Pest Control Substances.

The irrational use of synthetic pesticides in agriculture has had negative impacts on ecosystems and contributed to environmental pollution. Botanical pesticides offer a clean biotechnological alternative to meet the agricultural challenges posed by pests and arthropods. This article proposes the use of fruit structures (fruit, peel, seed, and sarcotesta) of several Magnolia species as biopesticides. The potential of extracts, essential oils, and secondary metabolites of these structures for pest control is described. From 11 Magnolia species, 277 natural compounds were obtained, 68.7% of which were terpenoids, phenolic compounds, and alkaloids. Finally, the importance of a correct management of Magnolia species to ensure their sustainable use and conservation is stressed.

Pesticide effects on soil fauna communities—A meta‐analysis

Abstract Soil invertebrate communities represent a significant fraction of global biodiversity and play crucial roles in ecosystems. A number of human activities threaten soil communities, in particular intensive agricultural practices such as pesticide use. However, there is currently no quantitative synthesis of the impacts of pesticides on soil fauna communities. Here, using a meta‐analysis of 54 studies and 294 observations, we quantify pesticide effects on the abundance, biomass, richness and diversity of natural soil fauna communities across a wide range of environmental contexts. We also identify scenarios with the most detrimental effects on soil fauna communities by analysing the effects of different pesticides (herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, broad‐spectrum substances and multiple substances), different application rates and temporal extents (short‐ or long‐term), as well as the response of different functional groups of soil animals (body size categories, presence of exoskeleton). Pesticides overall decreased the abundance and diversity of soil fauna communities across studies (Grand mean effect size (Hedge's g) = −0.30 +/− 0.16) and had stronger effects on soil fauna diversity than abundance. The most detrimental scenarios involved multiple substances, broad‐spectrum substances and insecticides, which significantly decreased soil fauna diversity even at recommended rates. We found no evidence that pesticide effects dampen over time, as short‐term and long‐term studies exhibited similar mean effect sizes. Policy implications: Our study highlights that pesticide use has significant detrimental non‐target effects on soil biodiversity, eroding a substantial part of global biodiversity and threatening ecosystem health. This provides crucial evidence supporting recent policies, such as the European Green Deal, that aim to reduce pesticide use in agriculture to conserve biodiversity. The detrimental effects of multiple substances revealed here are particularly concerning because realistic pesticide use often combines several substances targeting different pests and diseases over the crop season. We suggest that future guidelines for pesticide registration, restrictions and banning should rely on data able to fully capture the long‐term consequences of multiple substances for multiple non‐target species in realistic conditions.

Farmers’ social networks’ effects on the sustainable production of fresh apples in China’s Shaanxi province

Introduction: Recently, the public and policymakers have acquired knowledge of the detrimental effects of pesticide use in agriculture. These include the threat to the health of chemical applicators and the threat that pesticide residues pose to the safety of food. The present study focuses on the farmers’ social networks from a new perspective, along with the farmers’ concurrent agricultural business and their impact on the farmer’s safe production behavior.Methodology: The Endogenous Switching Probit Regression model and Binary Probit Group Regression model were employed for the empirical analysis of survey data collected from 585 households in the Xianyang, Yan’an, and Weinan districts of Shaanxi province, China.Results and Discussion: The results revealed that farmers’ social networks can greatly affect farmers’ safe production behavior. Additionally, we noted that the farmers’ social networks may play a positive role in promoting the farmers’ safe production behaviors of both concurrent agricultural business and non-concurrent agricultural business farmers. Moreover, their correlation coefficients were found significant at a confidence level of 5%. Our findings suggest that the government needs to construct social networks among farmers by setting up a communication platform and promoting the acquaintance of safe production through reciprocal culture.