Application of Phytochemicals in Green Sustainable Agriculture

Dear Colleagues,

Reducing the use of agricultural pesticides that are toxic to the environment is urgent. Sustainable alternatives are needed for the control and/or management of insects and pest microorganisms. Biotechnology comprises the use of bioagents (organisms and/or part of them, including partial or highly purified biomolecules) to develop products and technical tools that can be applied in different areas, including agriculture. Biomolecules such as proteins and secondary metabolites have been studied for their use in pest control, both as antimicrobial and insecticidal agents. Thus, biotechnology makes it possible to expand the panel of relevant molecules for sustainable use in industries. The indication of biomolecules as synergistic agents for their use in conjunction with pesticides and commercial drugs is currently a main focus in biotechnology. Another biotechnological and ecofriendly approach that has aroused interest is bioremediation, which consists of using living organisms, generally plants or microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, or microalgae), to degrade or immobilize contaminants, pollutants and toxins from soil, water, and other environments, restoring ecosystems. Additionally, nanobiotechnology enables the application of nanotechnology tools to study different biological phenomena and build different tools, such as nanoparticles, with different purposes. Although they are often treated as non-toxic agents, biomolecules can also be harmful to humans and the environment, depending on the dose and form of use. Thus, security assessments become essential.

Topics may include, but are not limited to:

• Plant-derived insecticides.
• Plant-derived antimicrobials for control of phytopathogens.
• Plant-derived nematocidal agents.
• Formulation strategies for use of phytochemicals in pest control.
• Toxicity assessments of plant-derived pesticides.
• Integrated pest management using phytochemicals.
• Microbial or plant-assisted bioremediation.

Dr. Thiago Henrique Napoleão
Dr. Emmanuel Viana Pontual
Guest Editors

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• biotechnology
• natural products
• bioactive compounds
• applied biochemistry
• agriculture