Use Of Pesticides Research Articles

Mild Cognitive Impairment Associated with Pesticides use Among Vegetable Farmers and Their Wives in Sukorambi Village Jember Regency

Introduction: Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), according to several studies, has been discovered to be related to exposure to pesticides. Sukorambi Village is the largest vegetable producer village in Jember Regency and pesticides are used in the vegetable cultivation process. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between the age of vegetable farmers and the frequency of pesticide spraying with the incidence of MCI and to analyze differences in the incidence of MCI in farmers and their wives. Methods: This research is an analytical research with a cross-sectional design which was carried out in Sukorambi Village, from June to December 2022. The samples of this research are 142 people, obtained from a proportional stratified random sampling technique and represented groups of farmers in each hamlet. In this case, the research variables include age, frequency of pesticide spraying, as well as the incidence of MCI in vegetable farmers and their wives. Data were further collected through direct interviews, which were then analyzed through bivariate analysis using Spearman and paired t tests. Results: The results showed that the majority of vegetable farmers were above 55 years old and most of them sprayed pesticides for 3-4 and 5-6 times a month. Most farmers and their wives experience MCI. Conclusion: The farmer's age and the frequency of spraying pesticides are related to the incidence of MCI in farmers. There is a significant difference between the incidence of MCI in vegetable farmers and their wives, where MCI is more experienced by vegetable farmer wives.

A novel pH-responsive multi-component nanodelivery system with siRNA for plant disease management

At the present time, the control of plant viral diseases is primarily achieved through the use of traditional pesticides. However, the tendency of RNA viruses to mutate and develop resistance to pesticides represents a significant challenge. The development of nanoscale strategies based on RNA interference (RNAi) represents a rapidly evolving approach to sustainable plant disease control. In this study, an siRNA was screened that effectively targets the 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70), which is closely associated with plant virus infection and replication. Additionally, a novel nanosystem for hierarchical delivery of siRNA was developed. This consisted of the cellular shuttle peptide (CPP)-modified tetrahedral DNA nanoparticles (TDN) as the core and polydopamine-hybridized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (PDA-MSN) as the shell. This was named TDN-siR099@CPP@PDA-MSNs. The results demonstrated that upon entering the leaf tissue through the stomata, TDN-siR099@CPP@PDA-MSNs encountered a weak acidic environment, prompting the PDA-MSN to release TDN-siR099@CPP. This resulted in the intercellular shuttling of TDN-siR099@CPP. The nanoscale dimensions of TDN-siR099@CPP facilitate facile displacement, while the intrinsic properties of CPP enhance the efficacy of long-distance siR099 intercellular shuttling. In this nanosystem, we also demonstrated that PDA-MSN retarded the susceptible degradation of siRNA in vitro and responded to the acidic release of the drug, which improve the utilization efficiency of siRNA in terms of both improving the delivery efficiency and delaying the degradation. It effectively down-regulated 56.2% of HSP70 protein and inhibited the infection of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and potato Y virus (PVY) by 70.2% and 41.0%, respectively. By skillfully constructing a framework for siRNA inhibition of target genes, this technology broadens the application of RNA silencing in plant disease management.

Major and trace elements determination in organic and conventional Moroccan vegetables using the k0-standardisation method of neutron activation analysis

The aim of the present work is the determination of different essential (minor and trace) elements found in five Moroccan vegetables collected from large commercial markets in Kenitra city, Morocco, and in some organic vegetables which were traditionally grown without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers, in a plot located in the rural commune of Dar Laaslouji, 48 km from Kenitra city. The k0-standardisation method of the Neutron Activation Analysis (k0-INAA) using the TRIGA Mark II research reactor of 2 MW at the National Centre for Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology (CNESTEN) and gamma-ray spectroscopy facility were employed. For quality control, the accuracy of measurements has been investigated using certified reference materials (IAEA-336 lichens, and NIST SRM 1547 peach leaves) which were analyzed simultaneously with the samples. Good agreement was found between certified and determined values. The primary results are presented and discussed for the concentration of minor and trace elements in some vegetables (tomatoes, carrots, green peppers, cilantro and mint), that are widely used in Moroccan meals.

Use of Conyza canadensis L. Extracts as Biostimulant in Cyclamen persicum Mill.

Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum Mill.) is an ornamental plant that is highly susceptible to pathogens, requiring high amounts of phytosanitary products. Therefore, the development of more sustainable alternatives has been required. The present study aimed to analyze the effect of C. canadensis root extract (aqueous and with dichloromethane) applied via foliar or soil, in C. persicum, on gas exchange and the SPAD index and on the biomass of cyclamen. The aqueous extract treatment increased net CO2 assimilation, the transpiration rates, and instantaneous carboxylation efficiency. The water use efficiency values were reduced in the treatments with both extracts. The greatest increases in the SPAD index were provided by the aqueous extract. The cyclamens that received the aqueous extract applied in soil or the dichloromethane extract applied in leaves showed an increase in total biomass and number of leaves. To identify the compounds present in the extracts, CG-MS and LC-MS/MS analyses were performed. The positive effects obtained indicated a high biostimulant effect of C. Canadensis. Thus, the root extracts of C. Canadensis, particularly the aqueous extracts, have the potential to be used to reduce the use of mineral fertilizers and pesticides, promoting agroecological practices and contributing to sustainable agriculture.

Evaluating Phthalates and Bisphenol in Foods: Risks for Precocious Puberty and Early-Onset Obesity.

Recent scientific results indicate that diet is the primary source of exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) due to their use in food processing, pesticides, fertilizers, and migration from packaging to food, particularly in plastic or canned foods. Although EDCs are not listed on nutrition labels, their migration from packaging to food could inadvertently lead to food contamination, affecting individuals by inhalation, ingestion, and direct contact. The aim of our narrative review is to investigate the role of phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) in foods, assessing their risks for precocious puberty (PP) and early-onset obesity, which are two clinical entities that are often associated and that share common pathogenetic mechanisms. The diverse outcomes observed across different studies highlight the complexity of phthalates and BPA effects on the human body, both in terms of early puberty, particularly in girls, and obesity with its metabolic disruptions. Moreover, obesity, which is independently linked to early puberty, might confound the relationship between exposure to these EDCs and pubertal timing. Given the potential public health implications, it is crucial to adopt a precautionary approach, minimizing exposure to these EDCs, especially in vulnerable populations such as children.

Lung Lesions in Exposure to Pesticides and Herbicides (Literature Review and Case Report)

Pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, zoocides) are mixtures of substances of chemical or biological origin used to destroy or inhibit the growth of microorganisms, fungi, harmful vegetation, and other living organisms. These organisms damage crop and livestock production, degrade the quality of agricultural products, materials, and goods. Pesticides are classified into organic, and inorganic based on their chemical composition. About 1,000 active ingredients are used in pesticides, of which 310 are considered particularly hazardous. Extensive use of pesticides leads to the destruction of biocenoses and the emergence of various pathological changes in the human body. Among the pesticide ingredients with acute and chronic toxicity, abamectin, aluminum phosphide, beta-cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, chlorpyrifos, deltamethrin, diazinon, fenamiphos, malathion, methomyl, oxamyl, primicarb, propargite, tebuconazole, chlorothalonil, bromoxynil, bromoxynil octanoate, brodifacoum, and others stand out. In conditions of pesticide load on soils, the frequency of allergic and respiratory diseases is steadily increasing. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), caused by smoking and pesticides, leads to loss of working capacity and social activity, as well as significant costs for treatment and rehabilitation. The article discusses the pathogenetic and clinical aspects of the formation of COPD under conditions of synergy (smoking + pesticides). Various clinical phenotypes of COPD are also considered. A clinical case of a patient with COPD caused by smoking and prolonged contact with pesticides (mosplan, zellek-super, goal 2E), which manifested with chronic respiratory failure, multifocal atherosclerosis, and heart failure, is described.

Quantitative measures of recent and lifetime agricultural pesticide use are associated with increased pesticide concentrations in house dust

Quantitative measures of recent and lifetime agricultural pesticide use are associated with increased pesticide concentrations in house dust

Pesticide use and inflammatory bowel disease in licensed pesticide applicators and spouses in the Agricultural Health Study

Pesticide use and inflammatory bowel disease in licensed pesticide applicators and spouses in the Agricultural Health Study

Production of phosphate biofertilizers as a booster for the techno-economic and environmental performance of a first-generation sugarcane ethanol and sugar biorefinery

The intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture has a significant economic and environmental impact worldwide. Biofertilizers (aka microbial inoculants) could be a potential alternative to decrease costs and the environmental footprint linked to the use of fertilizers while boosting productivity through biological processes. This work aimed to perform a techno-economic-environmental assessment of an industrial biofertilizer production facility integrated with a sugarcane ethanol biorefinery. To this end, systems engineering tools were employed concurrently with techno-economic-environmental analyses to assess the integration of the different processes and their feasibility. Three processes for biofertilizer production are proposed varying in terms of downstream processing and the use of single or double microorganisms. Our findings indicate that the integration of biofertilizer production can enhance the biorefinery's NPV by as much as 137% in the most favorable scenario and by a minimum of 69% in the most unfavorable scenario. Regarding environmental consequences, in general, all scenarios demonstrate an improvement over the base scenario. Global sensitivity analysis showed that the solid-state fermentation and composite formulation steps of the biofertilizer process have the most substantial influence on both economic and environmental outcomes. The uncertainty analysis further unveils that the scenarios without fungus separation exhibited greater resilience in the face of market volatility. The retro-techno-economic study defined the economically viable region. Ultimately, this study demonstrates that the integration of biofertilizers into an ethanol and sugar biorefinery is a more sustainable alternative than the isolated biorefinery regarding the environmental and techno-economic aspects of sustainability.

Pelatihan Pembuatan Pestisida Nabati Solusi Pengendalian Hama Thrips Petani Muda Desa Sukowiryo Kecamatan Jelbuk

Thrips pests are plant pest organisms (OPT) that disturb chili plants in Sukowiryo Village, Jelbuk District which can cause damage to plants, especially on the leaves. Overcoming this problem, PPK ORMAWA HIMASETA held a training on making vegetable pesticides on 22 July 2024 at the AKSATANI secretariat which was attended by 20 young farmers. The training activity aims to improve the ability of young farmers to make and use vegetable pesticides, as well as their impact on plants. The method used the counselling method regarding vegetable pesticides as an alternative effort for control of thrips pests, training in the production of vegetable pesticides, and application on chilli fields. Evaluation was conducted through pre-test and post-test questionnaires to measure knowledge and skills of young farmers. Results of the training showed that the training successful improved the knowledge and skills of young farmers in the production and use of plant-based pesticides.

Exposure to biocides and their potential exposure sources among adults: A nationwide population-based study in South Korea

Biocides are present in personal care (including preservatives or antibacterials), pest control, and disinfectant products (including non-agricultural insecticides, fungicides, and disinfectants), and their long-term exposure may induce adverse health effects in humans. Therefore, in this study, we assessed the exposure levels and major exposure predictors of biocides among nationally representative Korean adults. The target group included adults (≥19 years) participating in the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) 2015–2020. We employed survey-weighted multiple regression analysis and conditional inference trees analysis to assess the associations between demographic characteristics, behavioral sources (including personal care product use, pesticide use, and dietary patterns), and urinary levels of phenol (triclosan [TCS]), parabens (methyl paraben [MP], ethyl paraben [EP], propyl paraben [PP], and butyl paraben [BP]), and the pyrethroid insecticide metabolite (3-phenoxybenzoic acid [3-PBA]). Urinary EP, BP, and 3-PBA levels were higher in South Korean adults compared with those in Western countries. Major exposure predictors for MP, EP, and PP included the use of personal care products such as sunscreen, makeup, and hair care products in KoNEHS 2018–2020. Major exposure predictors for TCS and BP were vegetable consumption, and those for 3-PBA were mosquitocide use during summer in KoNEHS 2018–2020. However, these predictors were not observed in KoNEHS 2015–2017. Collectively, our findings suggest that biocide exposure predictors vary according to changes in product use and diet habits of individuals. Therefore, developing strategies to mitigate biocide exposure based on the demographic and behavioral characteristics of the general population is imperative.

Impact of regional pest control on pesticide application in China from a perceived risks perspective

The Regional Pest Control program represents a strategic intervention aimed at optimizing pesticide use in crop production, thereby mitigating the environmental impact of agricultural non-point source pollution from pesticides and fostering the development of high-quality agriculture. This study examines the influence of farmers’ perceived risks on the adoption of the Regional Pest Control program and evaluates its effect on pesticide application across a nationally representative dataset from Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, and Sichuan provinces. To account for unobserved heterogeneity, an endogenous switching regression model was employed. The findings reveal that farmers’ perceived risks associated with the Regional Pest Control program significantly deter its adoption. Furthermore, the program has been effective not only in reducing the frequency of pesticide applications but also in increasing the usage of pesticides with lower acute toxicity levels. Notably, the impact of the Regional Pest Control program on pesticide application demonstrates considerable variation in accordance with farmers’ risk attitudes.

The Impacts of High-Standard Farmland Construction on Cultivated Land Improvement in China

The construction of high-standard farmland has emerged as a prominent strategy to increase the total arable land area and augment cultivated land quality. This paper endeavors to scrutinize the policy impacts of this measure on elevating cultivated land quality and increasing land area in China. We employ an instrumental variable model with two-way fixed effects to quantitatively analyze the impact of the construction of high-standard farmland on the area and quality of cultivated land, based on panel data from 30 sample provinces in China from 2009 to 2018. Our results indicate that for every additional 10,000 hectares of high-standard farmland construction, the cultivated land area per person increased by 0.004 hectares, and the overall quality improved by 0.004 grade. The mechanism analysis further shows that constructing high-standard farmland indirectly alleviates cultivated land quality by reducing farmers’ use of chemical fertilizers, plastic film, and pesticides. The results imply that the ongoing construction of high-standard farmland remains a pivotal element in ensuring the sustainable utilization of cultivated land resources and achieving food security and agricultural modernization goals in China.

Use of pesticides in the irrigation district 075 of North Sinaloa, Mexico

Use of pesticides in the irrigation district 075 of North Sinaloa, Mexico

New genomic techniques can contribute to reduced pesticide usage in Europe

Societal Impact StatementCan modern breeding technologies, such as genome editing, contribute to reduced pesticide usage? This question has been accentuated by a recent legal proposal to exempt genome‐edited plants from the strict regulations applied to classical genetically modified (GM) crops within the European Union (EU). Using official statistics on crop cultivation and pesticide usage for two example crops commonly grown in Sweden, we calculate that cereal farmers collectively could save up to 70 million € in pesticide usage for wheat alone and that a late blight‐resistant potato could reduce pesticide usage by over 80% provided that the EU legislation is amended.SummaryThe European Commission has set goals to reduce the use of chemical pesticides, and one way to meet these goals in the agricultural sector is to breed disease‐resistant crops. Here, we ask whether modern breeding technologies, for example, genome editing using site‐directed nucleases, can contribute to these goals. This question has been accentuated by recent legal proposals in the European Union (EU) and several other jurisdictions worldwide to exempt genome‐edited plants from the strict regulations often applied to classical genetically modified (GM) crops. Using official statistics on crop cultivation and pesticide usage for two example crops commonly grown in Sweden (wheat and potato), we show that cereal farmers collectively could potentially save up to 70 million € in pesticide usage for wheat alone and that a late blight‐resistant potato could reduce pesticide usage by over 80% provided that the EU legislation is amended. Given the immense potential of genome‐edited crops, we further discuss details in the legal proposal currently being negotiated in the EU on the so‐called new genomic techniques that includes both genome editing and targeted insertions of cisgenes. Although promising, we argue that several technical limitations in the legal proposal will, if implemented, hamper the development of disease‐resistant crops and make the suggested legislation less future‐proof.

Exposure to household pesticides and Parkinson's disease in the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative cohort.

In the last decades, the association of household pesticide usage with Parkinson's disease (PD) has been poorly explored, with discordant results. Based on the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) cohort study, we analyzed (1) the association of household pesticide exposure with the development of PD and (2) the effect of household pesticides on progression of PD. Data from participants of the "FOllow Up persons with Neurologic Disease" (FOUND study) included in the PPMI cohort database were analyzed. The PPMI FOUND study applied the Parkinson's Disease Risk Factor Questionnaire to collect information regarding the use of pesticides in non-work settings during periods of life, and the lifetime pesticide exposure for each participant was estimated. We defined a high use of pesticides if the exposure estimate had a z-score higher than one standard deviation from the mean. Also, we evaluated longitudinal data of people with PD to analyze the effect of high use of household pesticides on disease progression according to motor impairment, cognitive dysfunction, depressive symptoms, and modification of motor clinical phenotype. We analyzed data from 206 people with PD and 64 healthy controls, almost all from the USA. High use of household pesticides was not associated with the odds of developing PD. Regarding PD progression, only cognitive dysfunction was associated with the high use of household fungicides (HR 5.64 per standard deviation increase in exposure estimate, 95% CI 1.41-22.6). Chronic exposure to household pesticides may impact the clinical progression of PD, especially cognitive symptoms.

Partial replacement of soybean with alternative protein sources: Effects on meat quality, sensory attributes, and fatty acids and amino acids content of breast meat of a local chicken strain.

The environmental sustainability of soybean cultivation has been questioned as it has been linked to deforestation, eutrophication, pesticide use, and carbon dioxide footprint. Agri-industrial byproducts and black soldier fly (BSF) larvae meal are promising alternative protein sources that can be used to partly replace soybean in broiler diets. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of partial replacement of soybeans with agro-industrial by-products with or without the addition of BSF dried larvae meal on the meat quality, fatty acid and amino acid content, and sensory traits of breast meat of local chickens. A total of 252 one-day-old mixed-sex chicks from the Anadolu-T pure dam line were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 diets; a soybean-based Control diet, a diet in which soybean meal was partly replaced (SPR) with brewers' dried grain, sunflower seed meal, and wheat middlings and an SPR + BSF diet in which 5% of BSF dried larva meal was added to the SPR diet. All birds were slaughtered at a commercial slaughterhouse at 55 days and breast and drumstick muscles were sampled for meat quality analysis from 18 chickens/dietary treatments. No significant effects of diets were observed for the pH24 and lightness, redness, and yellowness of breast and leg meats. Thawing loss significantly decreased and cooking loss increased in the breast meat of chickens fed the SPR + BSF compared with those fed Control and SPR diets. Diets did not affect either texture profile or consumer sensory properties of breast meat. The chickens fed the SPR + BSF had the highest total saturated fatty acid and lower polyunsaturated fatty acid content in breast meat than those fed the Control and SPR diets. The essential and nonessential amino acid content of breast meat decreased by the SPR diet compared with the SPR + BSF diet. The chickens fed SPR + BSF diet had higher values of tasty, aromatic, and umami-related amino acids than those fed SPR and Control diets. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicated that agri-industrial byproducts with or without BSF larvae meal could be used to partially replace soybean meal in broiler diets without affecting technological meat quality traits. The addition of BSF larvae meal to the diet along with agri-industrial by-products improved the amino acid content of the breast meat of chickens but reduced polyunsaturated fatty acid levels.

PENERAPAN PRINSIP-PRINSIP PERTANIAN BERKELANJUTAN PADA USAHATANI PADI SAWAH DI DESA CIALAM JAYA KECAMATAN KONDA KABUPATEN KONAWE SELATAN

This study aims to determine the application of sustainable agriculture principles in paddy rice farming in Cialam Jaya village, Konda sub-district, South Konawe district. Informants were determined by snowball sampling with a total of 6 informants. The method in this study uses qualitative analysis, as for the analysis used in this study, namely: data reduction, data analysis and data interpretation. The results showed that the application of the principles of sustainable agriculture on wet-rice farming in the village was at the adaptation stage, but not yet fully sustainable. Farmers have implemented several principles such as crop diversification, integrated pest control, and the use of organic fertilizers, but still depend on the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. More intensive efforts are needed to improve the overall application of sustainable agriculture principles in order to achieve sustainability of food production, environmental protection and improvement of farmers' welfare.

Design of a Leaf-Bottom Pest Control Robot with Adaptive Chassis and Adjustable Selective Nozzle

Pest control is an important guarantee for agricultural production. Pests are mostly light-avoiding and often gather on the bottom of crop leaves. However, spraying agricultural machinery mostly adopts top-down spraying, which suffers from low pesticide utilization and poor insect removal effect. Therefore, the upward spraying mode and intelligent nozzle have gradually become the research hotspot of precision agriculture. This paper designs a leaf-bottom pest control robot with adaptive chassis and adjustable selective nozzle. Firstly, the adaptive chassis is designed based on the MacPherson suspension, which uses shock absorption to drive the track to swing within a 30° angle. Secondly, a new type of cone angle adjustable selective nozzle was developed, which achieves adaptive selective precision spraying under visual guidance. Then, based on a convolutional block attention module (CBAM), the multi-CBAM-YOLOv5s network model was improved to achieve a 70% recognition rate of leaf-bottom spotted bad point in video streams. Finally, functional tests of the adaptive chassis and the adjustable selective spraying system were conducted. The data indicate that the adaptive chassis can adapt to diverse single-ridge requirements of soybeans and corn while protecting the ridge slopes. The selective spraying system achieves 70% precision in pesticide application, greatly reducing the use of pesticides. The scheme explores a ridge-friendly leaf-bottom pest control plan, providing a technical reference for improving spraying effect, reducing pesticide usage, and mitigating environmental pollution.

Determination of Anthropogenic Pollutants in Adipose Tissue of the Caspian Seal Pusa caspica Gmelin, 1788 by High-Resolution Accurate Mass Spectrometry.

Tissue contamination with persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in organisms proved possible to comprehensively characterize in a single test by combining gas chromatography and high-resolution accurate mass spectrometry. Adipose tissue samples were collected from two Caspian seals (Pusa caspica Gmelin, 1788) found dead on the Caspian Sea shore in 2020. Organochlorine pesticides, primarily DDT and HCH, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were major pollutants found in the Caspian seals. The distribution of metabolites indicated the absence of recent pesticide use. The PCB content was relatively high, but still at the lower limit of the range of values determined previously, as was also the case with pesticides. Chlordanes, polychlorinated naphthalenes, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers were detected in minor quantities and were therefore not considered to be major pollutants of the Caspian seal. The pollutant levels were below a threshold at which a distinct effect on seal health can be expected. High-resolution accurate mass (HRAM) spectrometry was found to provide a convenient tool for both targeted and nontargeted analyses of a wide range of organic pollutants in a single experiment.