Search Results (7,779)

Precision agriculture technologies (PATs) are revolutionizing the agricultural sector by minimizing the reliance on plant protection products (PPPs) in crop management. This approach integrates a broad range of advanced solutions employed to help farmers in optimizing PPP application, while minimizing input and maintaining effective crop protection. These technologies include sensors, drones, robotics, variable rate systems, and artificial intelligence (AI) tools that support site-specific pesticide applications. The objective of this review was to perform a bibliometric analysis to identify scientific trends and gaps in this field. The analysis was conducted using Scopus and Web of Science databases for the period of 2015–2024, by applying a data filtering process to ensure a clean and reliable dataset. The methodology involved citation, co-authorship, co-citation, and co-occurrence analysis. VOSviewer software (version 1.6.20) was used to generate maps and assess global research developments. Results identified AI, sensor, and data processing categories as the most central and interconnected scientific topics, emphasizing their vital role in the evolution of precision spraying technology. Bibliometric analysis highlighted that China, the United States, and India were the most productive countries, with strong collaborations within Europe. The co-occurrence and co-citation analyses revealed increasing interdisciplinarity and the integration of AI tools across various technologies. These findings help identify key experts and research leaders in the precision agriculture domain, thus underscoring the shift toward a more sustainable, data-driven, and synergistic approach in crop protection. Full article

The overuse of pesticides has raised serious food-safety and environmental concerns. Carbon dots (CDs) can act as biostimulants by enhancing photosynthesis, thereby promoting plant growth and stress tolerance. However, their roles in plant pesticide detoxification remain unclear. This study synthesized nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) with strong blue fluorescence, excellent biocompatibility, and no cytotoxicity observed in HEK 293T cells. The N-CDs were synthesized from 1.025 g citric acid and 0.379 g urea, producing particles with a size of around 2.42 nm and abundant hydrophilic groups. When applied to tomato plants, N-CDs (especially at 150 mg·L⁻¹) significantly reduced chlorothalonil (CHT) residues affecting tomato, by up to 66%. Importantly, N-CDs also improved tomato plant growth, reversing the negative effects of CHT on key parameters such as height, leaf area, and biomass. Indeed, under CHT conditions, N-CDs significantly reduced the contents of malondialdehyde, superoxide, and hydrogen peroxide. In contrast, N-CDs significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidases, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase to 117.57%, 158.53%, 162.79%, and 152.23%, respectively. Notably, N-CDs dramatically changed the glutathione pool for tomato detoxification. Overall, this study synthesized the non-cytotoxic N-CDs that not only promote tomato growth but also alleviate CHT toxicity by strengthening the tomato’s antioxidant defense system. Full article

Environmental stressors during the crucial period of fetal development can have a substantial impact on long-term health outcomes. A major concern is dietary exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which can readily cross the placenta and disrupt fetal hormonal signaling and developmental programming. Examples of these chemicals include bisphenols, phthalates, pesticides, and persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Prenatal exposure to EDC has been associated with long-term effects in children, including immune disruption, metabolic dysregulation, impaired neurodevelopment, and reproductive alterations, as evidenced by human cohort studies and experimental models. Epigenetic reprogramming, direct interference with endocrine signaling, and oxidative stress (OS) are hypothesized pathways for these adverse consequences, which often combine to produce long-lasting physiological changes. This narrative review summarizes current research on maternal dietary exposure to EDCs during pregnancy, highlighting associations with adverse child health outcomes. It also discusses the growing evidence of transgenerational effects, the potential mechanisms linking prenatal exposure to long-term outcomes, and the importance of understanding the roles of timing, dosage, and chemical type. By highlighting the necessity of focused interventions to lower maternal EDC exposure and lessen threats to the health of offspring, the review concludes by discussing implications for future research, preventive measures, and public health policy. Full article

The production of apples plays a crucial role in global agriculture. In 2023, the world production of these fruits amounted to nearly 150 million tonnes, cultivated on 6.6 million ha. Today’s horticulture faces the difficult challenge of maintaining high productivity while simultaneously reducing negative environmental impact. Traditional methods based on chemical pesticides encounter increasing problems, such as biodiversity loss, toxic residues in food, development of pest resistance, and disrupted balance of ecosystems. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) responds to these challenges by combining biological and agrotechnical methods with selective use of chemicals. Biopesticides are a crucial component of IPM, and they include antagonist microorganisms, substances of natural origin, and other biological methods of control, which represent effective alternatives to conventional measures. Their development is driven by consumer requirements concerning food safety, as well as by the need to protect the environment. The aim of this article is to highlight current problems in apple production, describe microorganisms and natural substances used as biopesticides used for the protection of apple orchards, as well as present the characteristics of modern technologies used for biocontrol in apple orchards. Full article

Strawberries are among the most consumed fruits in Europe, but intensive cultivation requires frequent pesticide use, raising food safety concerns. This study evaluated pesticide residues and dietary risk in strawberries from the Agro Aversano area (Southern Italy). A total of 83 samples collected in 2023–2024 were analyzed using a validated QuEChERS-LC–MS/MS method targeting 850 active substances. Thirty-one pesticides were detected, predominantly fungicides, followed by acaricides and insecticides. Cyflumetofen and pyrimethanil were the most frequent residues, while compounds with low toxicological thresholds, including emamectin benzoate, lambda-cyhalothrin, acetamiprid, and tetraconazole, were also identified. Dietary risk assessment was conducted with the EFSA PRIMo model (v.3.1), focusing on the NL toddler subgroup. Despite occasional exceedances of European Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs), both acute and chronic exposures remained well below toxicological reference values (ADI and ARfD). Overall, the results indicate negligible health risks but highlight the relevance of cumulative exposure, underscoring the need for continuous monitoring and sustainable pest management practices to ensure strawberry safety. Full article

Sugarcane is a key crop for sugar, biofuels, and bioenergy, with Brazil as the world’s largest producer. Intensive cultivation demands pesticides like tebuthiuron and thiamethoxam, while fertigation with vinasse may alter their environmental behavior. Sustainable approaches, such as phytoremediation, are needed to mitigate negative impacts on soil quality. This study assessed the phytoremediation potential of Canavalia ensiformis and Mucuna pruriens in soils contaminated with tebuthiuron, thiamethoxam, and vinasse under greenhouse conditions. Experiments used a completely randomized design (five replicates, 4 × 2 factorial). Plant development impacts on the sentinel species Crotalaria juncea, and ecotoxicity via Lactuca sativa bioassays were evaluated. Tebuthiuron strongly inhibited C. ensiformis, while thiamethoxam showed mild stimulatory effects. M. pruriens maintained better growth in the presence of contaminants. Bioassays revealed greater residual toxicity in tebuthiuron treatments. Overall, M. pruriens demonstrated superior biomass production and capacity to lessen soil toxicity, underscoring its potential as a sustainable tool for phytoremediation of pesticide-impacted soils. Full article

The traditional continuous, quantitative spraying technology ignores the severity of pests, diseases and grasses, spatial distribution and other differences, resulting in low effective utilization of pesticides, environmental pollution and other problems. Variable-rate spray technology has become an important development direction in the field of precision agriculture by dynamically sensing crop canopy morphology, pest and disease distribution, and environmental parameters, adjusting the application amount in real time, and significantly improving pesticide utilization. In this study, we systematically review the core progress of variable-rate spray technology; focus on the technical system of information detection, spray volume model, and control system; analyze the current bottlenecks; and propose an optimization path to adapt to the complex agricultural conditions. At the level of information perception, LiDAR, machine vision, and multi-source sensor fusion technology constitute the main perception architecture, and infrared and ultrasonic sensors assist target recognition in complex scenes. In the construction of the spray volume model, models based on canopy volume, leaf area density, etc., are used to realize dynamic application decision by fusing equipment operating parameters, pest and disease levels, meteorological conditions, and so on. The control system takes the solenoid valve + PID control as the core program, and improves the response speed through PWM regulation and closed-loop feedback. The current technical bottlenecks are mainly concentrated in the sensor dynamic detection accuracy, model environmental adaptability, and the reliability of the execution parts. In the future, it is necessary to further promote anti-jamming multi-source heterogeneous sensor data fusion, multi-factor adaptive spray model development, lightweight edge computing deployment, and solenoid valve structural parameter optimization and other technical research, with a view to promoting the application of variable-rate spray technology to the field on a large scale and providing a theoretical reference and technological support for the green transformation of agriculture. Full article

The quality risks of land trusteeship services are increasingly prominent, leading to reduced crop yields for farmers and land degradation; however, relevant research remains insufficient. This paper aims to identify and evaluate the quality risk level of land trusteeship services. It comprehensively adopts a field survey, web crawler technology, and expert consultation methods to identify quality risk types, and then uses the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to assess the risk level based on survey data from Chinese farmers. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) Overall, the quality risk level of land trusteeship services is at a relatively high risk level. In terms of spatio-temporal patterns, the quality risk level shows an upward trend, and the quality risk level of mid-production services is increasing at the fastest rate. There are significant variations in service quality risk across prefecture-level cities in the Shandong Province of China. (2) In terms of risk heterogeneity, the quality risk level of small-scale pure farmers is higher than that of part-time farmers and large professional farmers, in that order. The quality risk level of the “farmer + service organization” model is higher than that of the “farmer + intermediary + service organization” model. According to the order of the quality risk level of different crops, the ranking (from highest to lowest) is cash crops, wheat, and corn. (3) The high quality risks of land trusteeship services will impact the multifunctionality of land systems. It exacerbates the land pollution and fertility degradation because of excessive application of chemical inputs like pesticides, fertilizers, and mulch by service organizations. It consequently destroys ecological systems, hinders sustainable agricultural development, and impacts farmers’ income and national food security by reducing yields. The research findings contribute to controlling the quality risks of land trusteeship services and protecting land. Full article

The gut microbiota of insects, shaped by extensive coevolution, plays a crucial role in host adaptability and ecological expansion. The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith), a highly polyphagous and migratory invasive pest, infests more than 350 plant species worldwide, resulting in substantial crop losses and increased reliance on pesticide applications. In this study, we employed 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing to investigate diet-induced alternations in the gut microbial communities of larvae fed corn, rice, or an artificial diet. The results showed that diet significantly influenced microbial diversity, with rice-fed larvae exhibiting the highest richness. Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Cyanobacteria were the predominant bacterial phyla. Genus-level analysis revealed notable diet-dependent shifts, with Enterobacter and other genera (e.g., Ochrobactrum and Allorhizobium–Neorhizobium–Pararhizobium–Rhizobium) only detected in plant-fed groups. Additionally, current findings suggest that gut microbial genera are more prevalent when S. frugiperda larvae feed on rice plants than on corn plants or an artificial diet and are closely linked to their metabolic activities. Dominant microbial genera are expected to support essential metabolic processes and exhibit increased abundance on rice. These results indicate that the gut microbiome of S. frugiperda is diet-driven reorganization, potentially facilitating its polyphagy. This study extends the current understanding by elucidating the specific gut microbial taxa and their putative metabolic associations that are responsive to diet in S. frugiperda, thereby providing a theoretical basis for its polyphagous capability and underscoring microbiota-based strategies for sustainable pest management. Full article

Many common chemicals are known or suspected to harm brain development, and children are particularly vulnerable, yet research on their long-term effects on mental health is limited. This study investigated the associations of early childhood exposure to endocrine disrupting and neurotoxic chemicals with the development of internalizing, externalizing, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms from early childhood through adolescence in 387 children from the Rhea cohort in Crete, Greece. At age 4, serum concentrations of 3 organochlorine pesticides and 14 polychlorinated biphenyls, and urinary concentrations of 7 phthalate metabolites and 6 dialkyl phosphate metabolites were measured. Children’s symptoms were assessed via maternal reports at ages 4, 6, 11 and 15 years. Using generalized estimating equation models, the study found that early exposure to hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) was associated with increased externalizing symptoms across ages in girls [beta (95% CI): 0.20 (0.04, 0.37) and 0.11 (0.01, 0.21), respectively]. Among girls, low molecular weight (LMW) phthalates were also linked to elevated internalizing and externalizing symptoms, as well as ADHD-related difficulties [beta (95% CI): 0.15 (0.04, 0.26), 0.13 (0.01, 0.25), and 0.13 (0.02, 0.24), respectively]. Additionally, exposure to organophosphate pesticides was associated with increased externalizing and ADHD symptoms [beta (95% CI): 0.13 (0.04, 0.22) and 0.12 (0.04, 0.20), respectively]. The findings suggest that early childhood exposure to environmental chemicals may have long-term effects on emotional and behavioral development, with pronounced effects observed only in girls. Full article

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) function as engineered ecosystems in which microbial consortia mediate nutrient cycling, xenobiotic degradation, and heavy metal detoxification. This review discusses a forward-looking roadmap that integrates microbial ecology, multi-omics diagnostics, and artificial intelligence (AI) for next-generation treatments. Meta-analyses suggest that a globally conserved core microbiome indicates sludge functions, with high predictive value for treatment stability. Multi-omics approaches, including metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and environmental DNA (eDNA) profiling, have integrated microbial composition with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, showing that WWTPs contribute 2–5% of anthropogenic nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. Emerging AI-enhanced eDNA models have achieved >90% predictive accuracy for effluent quality and antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) prevalence, facilitating near-real-time monitoring and adaptive control of effluent quality. Key advances include microbial strategies for degrading organic pollutants, pesticides, and heavy metals and monitoring industrial effluents. This review highlights both translational opportunities, including engineered microbial consortia, AI-driven digital twins and molecular indices, and persistent barriers, including ARG dissemination, resilience under environmental stress and regulatory integration. Future WWTPs are envisioned as adaptive, climate-conscious biorefineries that recover resources, mitigate ecological risks, and reduce their carbon footprint. Full article

The continued use of agrochemicals in Valle de Arista, SLP, Mexico, has generated loss of effectiveness of active ingredients and impacts on public health and the environment. To identify environmental and socioeconomic impacts, a quantification method was designed using the Kovach Environmental Impact Quotient and environmental accounting of pesticides (Leach and Mumford) that included agricultural diagnosis and identification of agrochemical impacts. Producers, technical advisors and agrochemicals dealers were surveyed as key agents of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and chili pepper crops (Capsicum annuum) due to their economic importance. Gower quotation coefficients were calculated to measure similarity of quantitative, qualitative and dichotomous variables with continuous, discrete and binary characteristics. The use of fungicides (carbendazim and chlorothalonil) showed the greatest environmental impact, followed by insecticides (endosulfan and thiametoxam) and herbicides. The negative externality averaged US$15.60 ha⁻¹ annually, corresponding to 50% of tomato, 31.25% of poblano pepper and 18.75% of serrano pepper. Estimated damages due to the use of greenhouses were 37.7% to the consumer, 21.2% to the worker, 14.8% to aquatic life, 3.6% to birds, 9.2% to bees and 3.3% to insects. Full article

Addressing the challenges of multi-scene precision pesticide application for field broccoli crops and computational limitations of edge devices, this study proposes a lightweight broccoli detection method named DWG-YOLOv8, based on an improved YOLOv8s architecture. Firstly, Ghost Convolution is introduced into the C2f module, and the standard CBS module is replaced with Depthwise Separable Convolution (DWConv) to reduce model parameters and computational load during feature extraction. Secondly, a CDSL module is designed to enhance the model’s feature extraction capability. The CBAM attention mechanism is incorporated into the Neck network to strengthen the extraction of channel and spatial features, enhancing the model’s focus on the target. Experimental results indicate that compared to the original YOLOv8s, the DWG-YOLOv8 model has a size decreased by 35.6%, a processing time reduced by 1.9 ms, while its precision, recall, and mean Average Precision (mAP) have increased by 1.9%, 0.9%, and 3.4%, respectively. In comparative tests on complex background images, DWG-YOLOv8 showed reductions of 1.4% and 16.6% in miss rate and false positive rate compared to YOLOv8s. Deployed on edge devices using field-collected data, the DWG-YOLOv8 model achieved a comprehensive recognition accuracy of 96.53%, representing a 5.6% improvement over YOLOv8s. DWG-YOLOv8 effectively meets the lightweight requirements for accurate broccoli recognition in complex field backgrounds, providing technical support for object detection in intelligent precision pesticide application processes for broccoli. Full article

Tree endotherapy has risen to prominence in the field of precision agriculture as an innovative and sustainable method of tree care, being respectful of both environmental protection and consumer health needs. A comprehensive review of the state of the art of research in this field has made it possible to spotlight the main advantages of tree infusion, which has undergone significant progress in step with technological innovation and an increased understanding of tree anatomy and physiology. The major criticalities associated with this technique, as well as the biological and technical–operational obstacles that still hinder its wider use, are also highlighted. What emerges is an innovative and rapidly expanding technique in tree care, in both the cultivation and phytosanitary management of fruit and ornamental trees. Some of the strengths of the endotherapy technique, such as the next-to-no water consumption, the strong reduction in the use of fertilizers and pesticides, the possibility of using biological control agents (BCAs) or other products of natural origin, the precision administration of the product inside the xylem of the tree, and the efficacy (20–90%) and persistence (1–2 years) of treatments, make it one of the cornerstones of sustainable tree protection at present. With a very low consumption of the “active ingredient”, endotherapy has a negligible impact on the external environment, minimizing the drift and dispersal of the active ingredient and thus limiting the exposure of non-target organisms such as beneficial insects, birds, and wildlife. The large-scale application of the technique would therefore also help to achieve an important goal in “climate-smart agriculture”, the saving of water resources, significantly contributing to climate change mitigation, especially in those areas of the planet where water is a precious resource. Full article

Use of dicamba, an auxin-mimic herbicide, has increased in recent years. Both the effects of dicamba on non-target plants and the determination of a biological model to determine the dicamba ecotoxicity dynamics are important to monitor the correct and safe use of this herbicide. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of low doses (simulating herbicide drift) and to determine the acute toxicity of dicamba to aquatic bioindicator species (Lemna minor, Pomacea canaliculate, Hyphessobrycon eques, and Danio rerio) and terrestrial non-target plants (Cucumis sativus, Solanum lycopersicum, and Lactuca sativa) in tropical conditions. Measurements of acute toxicity of dicamba at the concentrations that cause 50% of symptoms of injury (LC50) and other biometric variables were performed. Dicamba was virtually non-toxic to all aquatic bioindicator species (LC50 > 118.0 mg L⁻¹), while it was highly toxic to all terrestrial non-target plants (LC50 < 0.5 mg L⁻¹). Severe injury symptoms (70% to 100%) caused by application of low doses of dicamba were found for all non-target terrestrial plants. Severe injury symptoms (70% to 100%) caused by volatilization of dicamba were found only for S. lycopersicum. Since S. lycopersicum was found as the most sensitive non-target plant, showing high injury symptoms caused by dicamba and significant injury from volatilized dicamba, this species is suitable for environmental monitoring of dicamba applications. Full article