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Toxics
Special Issues
Effects of Agricultural Chemicals–Pesticides on Insects and Soil Organisms
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Effects of Agricultural Chemicals–Pesticides on Insects and Soil Organisms

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Agrochemicals and Food Toxicology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 February 2024) | Viewed by 10425

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Xiaoming Xia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
Interests: insecticide; fungicide; resistance mechanisms; sublethal effects; chronic toxicity; soil organisms; gene expression
Dr. Youhui Gong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
Interests: insecticide resistance evolution; Cytochrome P450; gene regulation; rice plant hoppers; pest management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ting Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104, USA
Interests: organism adaption to environmental changes; insecticide resistance; insect toxicology and physiology; insect-plant interaction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Agricultural chemical compounds known as pesticides are widely used to combat diseases, pests, and weeds, in order to increase food production, yield foodstuff, and prevent food losses. Pesticides are designed to be toxic with various modes of action; besides being toxic to the target pest species they are intended to control, they are also harmful to non-target organisms. In addition to direct lethal effects, sublethal effects of pesticides on environmental organisms are also common after application in the field. Moreover, due to their long-term and extensive use, pesticide resistance has become one of the challenges of integrating pesticides into an existing integrated pest management (IPM) program. All these effects will substantially impact on the rational scientific use of pesticides in the field. Considering the enormous quantity of newer and a wide variety of modes of action of pesticides applied in agriculture, understanding the potential impacts of pesticides on target or non-target organisms, including pesticide resistance and its mechanisms, has become paramount in the IPM program.

This Special Issue intends to gather both original research and review articles, with topics including, but not limited to (1) the modes of action of the pesticides/compounds on target insect pests; (2) the evolution of pesticide resistance and resistance mechanisms; (3) the lethal/sublethal effects or hormesis effects of pesticides on insect pests; (4) the effects of pesticides on non-target insects at the biological, biochemical, and molecular levels; (5) the effects of pesticides on soil organisms including earthworms and soil microorganisms. The published articles in this Special Issue are expected to highlight the scientific application of pesticides in the IPM program.

Dr. Xiaoming Xia
Dr. Youhui Gong
Dr. Ting Li
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • pesticides
  • mode of action of pesticides
  • lethal and sublethal effects
  • hormesis effects
  • insecticide resistance
  • insects
  • soil organisms

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 2369 KiB  
Article
Early-Life Sublethal Thiacloprid Exposure to Honey Bee Larvae: Enduring Effects on Adult Bee Cognitive Abilities
by Xiasang Chen, Airui Li, Linghong Yin, Li Ke, Pingli Dai and Yong-Jun Liu
Toxics 2024, 12(1), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12010018 - 23 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2203
Abstract
Honey bees have significant ecological and economic value as important pollinators, but they are continuously exposed to various environmental stressors, including insecticides, which can impair their health and cause colony decline. (1) Background: Cognitive abilities are vital for the functional maintenance of honey [...] Read more.
Honey bees have significant ecological and economic value as important pollinators, but they are continuously exposed to various environmental stressors, including insecticides, which can impair their health and cause colony decline. (1) Background: Cognitive abilities are vital for the functional maintenance of honey bees; however, it remains unknown if chronic, low-dose exposure to thiacloprid during the larval stage impairs the cognitive abilities of emerged adult honey bees. (2) Methods: To explore this question, honey bee larvae were fed 0, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/L thiacloprid during their developmental phase. Then, the cognitive (i.e., olfactory learning and memory) abilities of adult honey bees were quantified to assess the delayed impacts of early-stage thiacloprid exposure on adult honey bee cognition. Neural apoptosis and transcriptomic level were also evaluated to explore the neurological mechanisms underlying these effects. (3) Results: Our results revealed that chronic larval exposure to sublethal thiacloprid impaired the learning and memory abilities of adult honey bees by inducing neuronal apoptosis and transcriptomic alterations. (4) Conclusions: We highlighted a previously unknown impairment caused by thiacloprid in honey bees. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Agricultural Chemicals–Pesticides on Insects and Soil Organisms)
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17 pages, 2507 KiB  
Article
Laboratory-Induced Bifenthrin, Flonicamid, and Thiamethoxam Resistance and Fitness Costs in Rhopalosiphum padi
by Hina Gul, Ihsan ul Haq, Ali Güncan, Farman Ullah, Nicolas Desneux and Xiaoxia Liu
Toxics 2023, 11(10), 806; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11100806 - 24 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1521
Abstract
The bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is one of the most economically important pests of wheat crops worldwide. Thiamethoxam, bifenthrin, and flonicamid are extensively used insecticides for controlling this key pest. However, the indiscriminate use of chemical insecticides has led to [...] Read more.
The bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is one of the most economically important pests of wheat crops worldwide. Thiamethoxam, bifenthrin, and flonicamid are extensively used insecticides for controlling this key pest. However, the indiscriminate use of chemical insecticides has led to the development of resistance in insects. In this study, we assessed the development of selection-induced resistance to bifenthrin, flonicamid, and thiamethoxam under controlled laboratory conditions. Additionally, we employed the age-stage, two-sex life table method to examine the fitness of R. padi. After ten generations of selection, bifenthrin-, flonicamid-, and thiamethoxam-resistant strains of R. padi were developed with resistance levels of 34.46, 31.97, and 26.46-fold, respectively. The life table analysis revealed a significant decrease in adult longevity and fecundity in these resistant strains compared to susceptible strain. Furthermore, the key demographic parameters such as net reproductive rate (R0) and reproductive days exhibited a significant reduction in all resistant strains, while the intrinsic rate of increase (r) and finite rate of increase (λ) were decreased only in resistant strains to bifenthrin and thiamethoxam. Taken together, these findings provide a comprehensive understanding of laboratory-induced insecticide resistance evolution and the associated fitness costs in R. padi. This knowledge could help to design resistance management strategies against this particular pest of wheat. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Agricultural Chemicals–Pesticides on Insects and Soil Organisms)
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28 pages, 3433 KiB  
Article
Triazine Herbicide and NPK Fertilizer Exposure: Accumulation of Heavy Metals and Rare Earth Elements, Effects on Cuticle Melanization, and Immunocompetence in the Model Species Tenebrio molitor
by Attilio Naccarato, Maria Luigia Vommaro, Domenico Amico, Francesca Sprovieri, Nicola Pirrone, Antonio Tagarelli and Anita Giglio
Toxics 2023, 11(6), 499; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11060499 - 1 Jun 2023
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2536
Abstract
The increasing use of agrochemicals, including fertilizers and herbicides, has led to worrying metal contamination of soils and waters and raises serious questions about the effects of their transfer to different levels of the trophic web. Accumulation and biomagnification of essential (K, Na, [...] Read more.
The increasing use of agrochemicals, including fertilizers and herbicides, has led to worrying metal contamination of soils and waters and raises serious questions about the effects of their transfer to different levels of the trophic web. Accumulation and biomagnification of essential (K, Na, Mg, Zn, Ca), nonessential (Sr, Hg, Rb, Ba, Se, Cd, Cr, Pb, As), and rare earth elements (REEs) were investigated in newly emerged adults of Tenebrio molitor exposed to field-admitted concentrations of a metribuzin-based herbicide and an NPK blend fertilizer. Chemical analyses were performed using inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS) supported by unsupervised pattern recognition techniques. Physiological parameters such as cuticle melanization, cellular (circulating hemocytes), and humoral (phenoloxidase enzyme activity) immune responses and mass loss were tested as exposure markers in both sexes. The results showed that NPK fertilizer application is the main cause of REE accumulation in beetles over time, besides toxic elements (Sr, Hg, Cr, Rb, Ba, Ni, Al, V, U) also present in the herbicide-treated beetles. The biomagnification of Cu and Zn suggested a high potential for food web transfer in agroecosystems. Gender differences in element concentrations suggested that males and females differ in element uptake and excretion. Differences in phenotypic traits show that exposure affects metabolic pathways involving sequestration and detoxification during the transition phase from immature-to-mature beetles, triggering a redistribution of resources between sexual maturation and immune responses. Our findings highlight the importance of setting limits for metals and REEs in herbicides and fertilizers to avoid adverse effects on species that provide ecosystem services and contribute to soil health in agroecosystems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Agricultural Chemicals–Pesticides on Insects and Soil Organisms)
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15 pages, 17206 KiB  
Article
Sublethal Effects of Neonicotinoid Insecticides on the Development, Body Weight and Economic Characteristics of Silkworm
by Qiqi Chen, Shoumin Sun, Xiu Yang, Haohao Yan, Kaiyun Wang, Xiucheng Ba and Hongyan Wang
Toxics 2023, 11(5), 402; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11050402 - 24 Apr 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1784
Abstract
Silkworm Bombyx mori (L.) (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) is a critical insect for silk producers, but the inappropriate application of insecticides negatively affects the physiology and behavior of silkworms. This study found that the effects of neonicotinoid insecticides applied using two spraying methods on the [...] Read more.
Silkworm Bombyx mori (L.) (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) is a critical insect for silk producers, but the inappropriate application of insecticides negatively affects the physiology and behavior of silkworms. This study found that the effects of neonicotinoid insecticides applied using two spraying methods on the growth and development of silkworms were different: the median lethal concentration (LC50) values of two pesticides applied using the leaf-dipping method were 0.33 and 0.83 mg L−1 and those of two pesticides applied using the quantitative spraying method were 0.91 and 1.23 mg kg−1. The concentration of pesticides on the mulberry leaves did not decrease after their application using the quantitative spraying method, and a uniform spraying density was observed after the mulberry leaves were air-dried (no liquid) under realistic conditions. We then treated silkworms with the quantitative spraying method and leaf-dipping method. The treatment of silkworm larvae with imidacloprid and thiamethoxam at sublethal concentrations significantly prolonged the development time and significantly decreased the weight and pupation rate, as well as economic indicators of enamel layers and sputum production. Thiamethoxam treatment significantly increased the activities of carboxylesterase (CarE) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST). The activity of CarE and GST increased, decreased, and then increased, and the highest activity was detected on the 10th and 12th days. Thiamethoxam exposure significantly elevated the transcription levels of CarE-11, GSTe3 and GSTz2 and induced DNA damage in hemocytes. This study confirmed that the quantitative spray method is more stable than the leaf-dipping method. Moreover, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam treatment affected the economy and indexes of silkworms and induced changes in detoxification enzymes and DNA damage in silkworms. These results provide a basis for understanding the mechanism of the sublethal effects of insecticides on silkworms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Agricultural Chemicals–Pesticides on Insects and Soil Organisms)
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12 pages, 2561 KiB  
Article
Lack of Known Target-Site Mutations in Field Populations of Ostrinia furnacalis in China from 2019 to 2021
by Youhui Gong, Ting Li, Xiaojian Xiu, Nicolas Desneux and Maolin Hou
Toxics 2023, 11(4), 332; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11040332 - 31 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1622
Abstract
The Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera; Pyralidae), is one of the most destructive insect pests of corn, for which chemical insecticides have been the primary method of control, especially during outbreaks. Little information is currently available on the status of insecticide [...] Read more.
The Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera; Pyralidae), is one of the most destructive insect pests of corn, for which chemical insecticides have been the primary method of control, especially during outbreaks. Little information is currently available on the status of insecticide resistance and associated mechanisms in O. furnacalis field populations. Invasions and outbreaks of Spodoptera frugiperda in China in recent years have increased chemical application in corn fields, which adds to the selection pressure on O. furnacalis. This study was conducted to estimate the risk of insecticide resistance by investigating the frequency of insecticide resistant alleles associated with target site insensitivity in field populations of O. furnacalis. Using the individual-PCR genotype sequencing analysis, none of the six target-site insecticide resistant mutations were detected in O. furnacalis field populations collected from 2019 to 2021 in China. These investigated insecticide resistance alleles are common in resistant Lepidoptra pests and are responsible for resistance to pyrethroids, organophosphorus, carbamates, diamide, and Cry1Ab. Our results support the low insecticide resistance status in field O. furnacalis populations and betokens the unlikely development of high resistance mediated by the common target-site resistance alleles. Additionally, the findings would serve as references for further efforts toward the sustainable management of O. furnacalis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Agricultural Chemicals–Pesticides on Insects and Soil Organisms)
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