Massive use of pesticides in conventional agriculture leads to accumulation in soil of complex mixtures, triggering questions about their potential ecotoxicological risk. This study assessed cropland ...soils containing pesticide mixtures sampled from conventional and organic farming systems at La Cage and Mons, France. The conventional agricultural field soils contained more pesticide residues (11 and 17 versus 3 and 11, respectively) and at higher concentrations than soils from organic fields (mean 6.6 and 10.5 versus 0.2 and 0.6 μg kg−1, respectively), including systemic insecticides belonging to neonicotinoids, carbamate herbicides and broad-spectrum fungicides mostly from the azole family. A risk quotient (RQi) approach evaluated the toxicity of the pesticide mixtures in soil, assuming concentration addition. Based on measured concentrations, both conventional agricultural soils posed high risks to soil invertebrates, especially due to the presence of epoxiconazole and imidacloprid, whereas soils under organic farming showed negligible to medium risk. To confirm the outcome of the risk assessment, toxicity of the soils was determined in bioassays following standardized test guidelines with seven representative non-target invertebrates: earthworms (Eisenia andrei, Lumbricus rubellus, Aporrectodea caliginosa), enchytraeids (Enchytraeus crypticus), Collembola (Folsomia candida), oribatid mites (Oppia nitens), and snails (Cantareus aspersus). Collembola and enchytraeid survival and reproduction and land snail growth were significantly lower in soils from conventional compared to organic agriculture. The earthworms displayed different responses: L. rubellus showed higher mortality on soils from conventional agriculture and large body mass loss in all field soils, E. andrei showed considerable mass loss and strongly reduced reproduction, and A. caliginosa showed significantly reduced acetylcholinesterase activity in soils from conventional agriculture. The oribatid mites did not show consistent differences between organic and conventional farming soils. These results highlight that conventional agricultural practices pose a high risk for soil invertebrates and may threaten soil functionality, likely due to additive or synergistic “cocktail effects”.
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•soils from conventional farming contained more pesticides than organic farming soils.•conventional soils pose a high risk to soil invertebrates based on risk quotients.•soils under organic farming showed a negligible to medium risk.•conventional soils did show toxicity in bioassays with several soil invertebrates.•additive or synergistic “cocktail effects” of mixtures might explain the toxicity.
Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) is the most common symbiotic association of plants with microbes. AM fungi occur in the majority of natural habitats and they provide a range of important ecological ...services, in particular by improving plant nutrition, stress resistance and tolerance, soil structure and fertility. AM fungi also interact with most crop plants including cereals, vegetables, and fruit trees, therefore, they receive increasing attention for their potential use in sustainable agriculture. Basic research of the past decade has revealed the existence of a dedicated recognition and signaling pathway that is required for AM. Furthermore, recent evidence provided new insight into the exchange of nutritional benefits between the symbiotic partners. The great potential for application of AM has given rise to a thriving industry for AM-related products for agriculture, horticulture, and landscaping. Here, we discuss new developments in these fields, and we highlight future potential and limits toward the use of AM fungi for plant production.
Do not poison thyself Hunter, Philip
EMBO reports,
September 2018, 20180901, Volume:
19, Issue:
9
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
The mechanisms by which poisonous plants and animals protect themselves against their own toxins provide interesting leads for synthetic biology with potential applications in medicine and ...agriculture.
The genus Bacillus is one of the predominant bacterial genera found in soil, and several species of this genus have been reported from diverse ecological niches. Endowed with tremendous genetic and ...metabolic diversity, Bacillus spp. serve multiple ecological functions in soil ecosystem from nutrient cycling to conferring stress tolerance to plants. Members of the genus Bacillus are known to have multiple beneficial traits which help the plants directly or indirectly through acquisition of nutrients, overall improvement in growth by production of phytohormones, protection from pathogens and other abiotic stressors. This functionally versatile genus is one of the most commercially exploited bacteria in the agro‐biotechnology industry. Still its potential has not been realized sufficiently and requires an emphasis towards translating the relevant technologies from laboratory to land for the benefit of mankind.
Copper in plant protection LA TORRE, Anna; IOVINO, Valeria; CARADONIA, Federica
Phytopathologia mediterranea,
08/2018, Volume:
57, Issue:
2
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Copper has been used in agriculture to control oomycetes, fungi and bacteria for over a century. It plays important roles in integrated pest management, but is essential in organic farming, where ...disease management depends almost exclusively on its use. However, the use of this heavy metal may have log-term consequences due to its accumulation in the soil, which appears incompatible with organic farming's objectives. This awareness led the European Union to establish maximum limits on copper in organic farming since 2002 (Commission Regulation 473/2002), and further decisions on its use in crop protection are to be taken soon. At present, copper compounds are approved as plant protection products until 31 January 2019. This review examines the current state of copper use, the regulatory framework, and limits set for copper in organic farming. Strategies to reduce copper inputs are also considered, including: preventive phytosanitary measures, innovative formulations with reduced copper content, optimization of copper dosages, the use of forecasting models, the use of resistant varieties, optimization of agriculture management, and natural alternatives to copper-based products. This review also examines the main research projects exploring farming practices and appropriate alternatives to copper use for the control of plant pathogens. The review highlights that, while there is currently no replacement for this heavy metal having the same plant protection effectiveness, agronomic measures and management practices can be combined to reduce the amounts of copper used for this purpose.
All papers published in this volume have been reviewed through processes administered by the Editors. Reviews were conducted by expert referees to the professional and scientific standards expected ...of a proceedings journal published by IOP Publishing. • Type of peer review: Single Anonymous • Conference submission management system: Morressier • Number of submissions received: 69 • Number of submissions sent for review: 64 • Number of submissions accepted: 64 • Acceptance Rate (Submissions Accepted / Submissions Received × 100): 92.8 • Average number of reviews per paper: 1 • Total number of reviewers involved: 37 • Contact person for queries: Name: Dadang Email: dadangtea@apps.ipb.ac.id Affiliation: Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University, Indonesia
Plant protection UAVs have developed rapidly as a new type of orchard pesticide application equipment. This study was conducted to explore the influence of plant protection UAVs' operation parameters ...on the properties of droplet deposition. The DJI T30 plant protection UAV was used to affect the influences of spray volume (60 L/ha and 90 L/ha), spray height (2m and 2.5m), with or without an adjuvant and spray patterns (Regular pattern and Orchard pattern) on characteristics of droplet deposition. The test results showed that the interaction of multiple factors has no significant difference in most droplet deposition on various layers of fruit trees. The deposition characteristics of droplets were improved at a spray height of 2 m and a spray volume of 90 L/ha in the presence of adjuvants. In the orchard spray pattern, the penetration of droplet deposition is improved, but the impact on droplet density and coverage is different. Overall, the orchard spraying pattern can achieve better coverage, while the droplet density is the opposite. The spray performance is closely related to the spray volume, with or without an adjuvant, spray pattern, and spray height. The research results provide a theoretical basis for selecting appropriate operating parameters and spray patterns for plant protection UAVs in apple orchards.
•The orchard spray pattern can obtain better coverage, and penetration.•Deposition on the ground will be affected by the downwash from the UAV.•The spray volume is the main factor affecting droplet deposition.•The regular spray pattern can obtain better droplet density.
•Microalgae grown in piggery effluent showed promising biostimulant activity.•Longer root systems were obtained in microalgae-treated seeds.•The microalgae treatments increased germination index of ...cucumber seeds (75-138%).•T. obliquus and C. vulgaris inhibited over 40% the growth of F. oxysporum.
Pig farming generates highly polluting wastewaters which entail serious environmental issues when not adequately managed. Microalgae systems can be promising for cost, energy and environment-efficient treatment of piggery wastewater (PWW). Aside from clean water, the produced biomass can be used as biostimulants and biopesticides contributing to a more sustainable agriculture.
Three microalgae (Tetradesmus obliquus, Chlorella protothecoides, Chlorella vulgaris) and one cyanobacterium (Synechocystis sp.) were selected after a preliminary screening in diluted wastewater (1:20) to treat PWW. The nutrient removals were 62-79% for COD (chemical oxygen demand), 84-92% for TKN (total Kjeldahl nitrogen), 79-92% for NH4+ and over 96% for PO43−. T. obliquus and C. protothecoides were the most efficient ones.
After treating PWW, the produced biomass, at 0.5 g L−1, was assessed as a biostimulant for seed germination, root/shoot growth, and pigment content for tomato, watercress, cucumber, soybean, wheat, and barley seeds. We observed an overall increase on germination index (GI) of microalgae-treated seeds, owing to the development of longer roots, especially in T. obliquus and C. vulgaris treatments. The microalgae treatments were especially effective in cucumber seeds (75-138% GI increase).
The biopesticide activity against Fusarium oxysporum was also evaluated at 1, 2.5 and 5 g L−1 of microalgae culture. Except for Synechocystis sp., all the microalgae tested inhibited the fungus growth, with T. obliquus and C. vulgaris achieving inhibitions above 40% for all concentrations.
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