IPM reduces insecticide applications by 95% while maintaining or enhancing crop yields through wild pollinator conservation

Beyond the urgency: pesticide Emergency Authorisations' exposure, toxicity, and risk for humans, bees, and the environment

The global challenge to increase agricultural production goes along with the need of decreasing pesticide risks. The European Union (EU) therefore evaluates and controls the risks posed by pesticides by regulating their authorisation through the science-based Risk Assessment process. Member States can however act in derogation to this process and grant the Emergency Authorisation (EA) of pesticides that are currently non-authorised. To protect the health of humans and the environment, Emergency Authorisations are only permitted in exceptional circumstances of agricultural emergency: their use should be limited (i.e., cannot exceed 120 days and one growing season) and concurrent research on alternative strategies must be enforced. Here, we assessed the impact of the Emergency Authorisations process to human and environmental health. Bees, bioindicators of environmental health, were used as model species. Our research demonstrates that i) Emergency Authorisations are widely used throughout EU Member States (annually granted Emergency Authorisationsmin-max, 2017-2021 = 593-660); ii) 12 % of Emergency Authorisations granted the use of pesticides for longer than prescribed by EU regulations; iii) 37 % of Emergency Authorisations were repeatedly granted over time by the same Member State for the same agricultural purpose (i.e., to control the same pest on the same crop); iv) 21 % of Emergency Authorisations granted the use of Active Substances non-approved by risk assessment (EA-ASs Type3) which consequently contaminate the environment (44 % of environmental biomonitoring studies found EA-AS Type3) while being significantly more toxic to pollinators than regularly approved ASs. To facilitate the implementation of sustainable control strategies towards a safer environment for humans and other animals, we identified the most frequent agricultural emergencies and the key research needs. This first quantitative assessment of the Emergency Authorisation process unveils an enduring state of agricultural emergency that acts in derogation of the EU Regulation, leading to broad human, animal, and environmental implications.

Effects of common co-occurring pesticides (a neonicotinoid and fungicide) on honey bee colony health in a semi-field study

Multiple stressors are linked to declines of insects and important pollinators, such as bees. Recently, interactive effects of multiple agrochemicals on bees have been highlighted, including fungicides, which increase toxicity of neonicotinoid insecticides. Here, we use a semi-field study across two seasons in controlled foraging tunnels to test the effects of a field application of a commercial fungicide product with two active ingredients (pyraclostrobin and metconazole) applied at label rates. We also examine its interactive effects with the neonicotinoid insecticide clothianidin, at a conservative field-realistic dose of 2.23 ppb, on 48 honey bee colonies. We found combined effects of pesticide exposure, including additive 2.93-fold increases in mortality, and an additional effect of increased infestation levels of the ectoparasitic mite, Varroa destructor. Pesticide treatments also reduced colony activity, reduced colony weight, and increased sugar consumption of whole colonies. These findings indicate that typical sublethal exposure levels to common, co-occurring agrochemicals in the field significantly affect the health of whole honey bee colonies, highlighting an unintended consequence of increasing pesticide applications.

From field to table: Ensuring food safety by reducing pesticide residues in food

The present review addresses the significance of lowering pesticide residue levels in food items because of their harmful impacts on human health, wildlife populations, and the environment. It draws attention to the possible health risks-acute and chronic poisoning, cancer, unfavorable effects on reproduction, and harm to the brain or immunological systems-that come with pesticide exposure. Numerous traditional and cutting-edge methods, such as washing, blanching, peeling, thermal treatments, alkaline electrolyzed water washing, cold plasma, ultrasonic cleaning, ozone treatment, and enzymatic treatment, have been proposed to reduce pesticide residues in food products. It highlights the necessity of a paradigm change in crop protection and agri-food production on a global scale. It offers opportunities to guarantee food safety through the mitigation of pesticide residues in food. The review concludes that the first step in reducing worries about the negative effects of pesticides is to implement regulatory measures to regulate their use. In order to lower the exposure to dietary pesticides, the present review also emphasizes the significance of precision agricultural practices and integrated pest management techniques. The advanced approaches covered in this review present viable options along with traditional methods and possess the potential to lower pesticide residues in food items without sacrificing quality. It can be concluded from the present review that a paradigm shift towards sustainable agriculture and food production is essential to minimize pesticide residues in food, safeguarding human health, wildlife populations, and the environment. Furthermore, there is a need to refine the conventional methods of pesticide removal from food items along with the development of modern techniques.

Implementing IPM in crop management simultaneously improves the health of managed bees and enhances the diversity of wild pollinator communities

Impacts of insecticide use on the health of wild and managed pollinators have been difficult to accurately quantify in the field. Existing designs tend to focus on single crops, even though highly mobile bees routinely forage across crop boundaries. We created fields of pollinator-dependent watermelon surrounded by corn, regionally important crops in the Midwestern US. These fields were paired at multiple sites in 2017-2020 with the only difference being pest management regimes: a standard set of conventional management (CM) practices vs. an integrated pest management (IPM) system that uses scouting and pest thresholds to determine if/when insecticides are used. Between these two systems we compared the performance (e.g., growth, survival) of managed pollinators-honey bees (Apis mellifera), bumble bees (Bombus impatiens)-along with the abundance and diversity of wild pollinators. Compared to CM fields, IPM led to higher growth and lower mortality of managed bees, while also increasing the abundance (+ 147%) and richness (+ 128%) of wild pollinator species, and lower concentrations of neonicotinoids in the hive material of both managed bees. By replicating realistic changes to pest management, this experiment provides one of the first demonstrations whereby tangible improvements to pollinator health and crop visitation result from IPM implementation in agriculture.

Plant growers' environmental consciousness may not be enough to mitigate pollinator declines: a questionnaire-based case study in Hungary

BACKGROUND

Pesticides are one of the most important anthropogenic-related stressors. In times of global pollinator decline, the role of integrated farming and urban gardens in supporting wild pollinators is becoming increasingly important. We circulated an online questionnaire to survey plant protection practices among Hungarian farmers and garden owners with a particular emphasis on pollinator protection.

RESULTS

We found that plant growers rely heavily on pesticide use, and pesticides are used widely in otherwise pollinator-friendly gardens. Whether pesticide use practices were driven by expert opinion and respondent gender were the best predictors of pesticide use. Although most respondents supported pollinators, pesticides are also used widely among home garden owners, which can pose a non-evident ecological trap for pollinator populations in the gardens.

CONCLUSION

Special attention should be paid to implementing measures to reduce pesticide use not only in farmland, but also in home gardens. Environmental education and financial support through agroecological schemes could efficiently promote the transition away from pesticide use. However, whereas farmers can be encouraged to reduce pesticide use mostly by expert advice, garden owners are likely to rely on more conventional information channels. The attitudes of Hungarian plant growers can provide an insight into pesticide use practices of Central and Eastern European countries, but similar surveys are needed across Europe for a complete understanding of broad-scale processes. This work lays the foundations for similar studies that can inform and facilitate the transformation to pesticide-free farming and gardening. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Common pesticides disrupt critical ecological interactions

Critical ecological interactions can be disrupted by pesticides, leading to serious ecosystem and economic harm. For the most part, however, the extent and magnitude of these impacts are unknown. We argue for increased investigation of ecosystem impacts of common pesticides by scientists and scrutiny by regulators.

Entomopathogenic Nematode Compatibility with Vineyard Fungicides

Vineyards, covering over seven million hectares worldwide, hold significant socio-cultural importance. Traditionally reliant on conventional practices and agrochemicals, this agroecosystem faces environmental challenges, including soil and water pollution. Sustainable viticulture, driven by eco-friendly practices and cost reduction, has gained prominence, underlining the importance of biological control agents such as entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs). EPNs naturally occurr in vineyard soils and play a crucial role in controlling pest damage. Ensuring compatibility between EPNs and the commonly used vineyard fungicides is critical, as these applications constitute the predominant pest-management practice during the productive grapevine cycle. This study assessed the impact of authorized grapevine fungicides on EPNs, focusing on the survival of populations and sublethal effects on their virulence. We investigated the compatibility of two EPN populations (Steinernema feltiae 107 and S. carpocapsae 'All') with three organic production-approved products (Bacillus pumilus, sulfur, and copper oxychloride) and two synthetic chemicals (Trifloxystrobin and Mancozeb). Our findings revealed that the viability of S. feltiae 107 was reduced when exposed to sulfur and copper oxychloride, and its virulence was affected by copper oxychloride and Mancozeb, although only two days after exposure and with no significant differences for larval mortality at five days. In contrast, S. carpocapsae 'All' exhibited full compatibility with all five fungicides, with no impact on its viability or virulence. Consequently, our results suggested that the evaluated fungicides could be co-applied on both EPN populations if they were employed on the same day. However, further research on multi-target interactions is needed to ensure the successful implementation of this kind of co-application.

Recent and future declines of a historically widespread pollinator linked to climate, land cover, and pesticides

The acute decline in global biodiversity includes not only the loss of rare species, but also the rapid collapse of common species across many different taxa. The loss of pollinating insects is of particular concern because of the ecological and economic values these species provide. The western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis) was once common in western North America, but this species has become increasingly rare through much of its range. To understand potential mechanisms driving these declines, we used Bayesian occupancy models to investigate the effects of climate and land cover from 1998 to 2020, pesticide use from 2008 to 2014, and projected expected occupancy under three future scenarios. Using 14,457 surveys across 2.8 million km² in the western United States, we found strong negative relationships between increasing temperature and drought on occupancy and identified neonicotinoids as the pesticides of greatest negative influence across our study region. The mean predicted occupancy declined by 57% from 1998 to 2020, ranging from 15 to 83% declines across 16 ecoregions. Even under the most optimistic scenario, we found continued declines in nearly half of the ecoregions by the 2050s and mean declines of 93% under the most severe scenario across all ecoregions. This assessment underscores the tenuous future of B. occidentalis and demonstrates the scale of stressors likely contributing to rapid loss of related pollinator species throughout the globe. Scaled-up, international species-monitoring schemes and improved integration of data from formal surveys and community science will substantively improve the understanding of stressors and bumble bee population trends.

Prioritizing pollinators over pests: wild bees are more important than beetle damage for watermelon yield

Insect pests and pollinators can interact directly and indirectly to affect crop production; however, impacts of these interactions on marketable yield are little known. Thus, the evaluation of interactions between pests and pollinators are needed to best prioritize management efforts. Over 2 years, we evaluated the impact of pollinator visitation and/or beetle (Acalymma vittatum) infestation on fruit set and yield in seedless watermelon production. In 2020, we tested the main effect of pollinator visitation: two or eight honeybee visits, two wild bee visits, hand pollinated and open pollinated. In 2021, we crossed wild and managed pollinator visitation (two or four honeybee visits, two or four wild bee visits, hand pollinated and open pollinated) with varying beetle infestation levels (0, 3, 6 and 9 beetles/plant). In both years, wild bees contributed significantly to high fruit yields, and exclusive visitation from wild bees increased yield by a factor of 1.5-3 compared to honeybees. In 2021, pollination was the only significant factor for fruit set and marketable yield even when compared to the varying beetle infestation levels. These data advocate for a reprioritization of management, to conserve and protect wild bee pollination, which could be more critical than avoiding pest damage for ensuring high yields.

Pest population dynamics are related to a continental overwintering gradient

Overwintering success is an important determinant of arthropod populations that must be considered as climate change continues to influence the spatiotemporal population dynamics of agricultural pests. Using a long-term monitoring database and biologically relevant overwintering zones, we modeled the annual and seasonal population dynamics of a common pest, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), based on three overwintering suitability zones throughout North America using four decades of soil temperatures: the southern range (able to persist through winter), transitional zone (uncertain overwintering survivorship), and northern limits (unable to survive winter). Our model indicates H. zea population dynamics are hierarchically structured with continental-level effects that are partitioned into three geographic zones. Seasonal populations were initially detected in the southern range, where they experienced multiple large population peaks. All three zones experienced a final peak between late July (southern range) and mid-August to mid-September (transitional zone and northern limits). The southern range expanded by 3% since 1981 and is projected to increase by twofold by 2099 but the areas of other zones are expected to decrease in the future. These changes suggest larger populations may persist at higher latitudes in the future due to reduced low-temperature lethal events during winter. Because H. zea is a highly migratory pest, predicting when populations accumulate in one region can inform synchronous or lagged population development in other regions. We show the value of combining long-term datasets, remotely sensed data, and laboratory findings to inform forecasting of insect pests.

Graphene-Delivered Insecticides against Cotton Bollworm

Nanopesticides can facilitate controlled release kinetics and efficiently enhance the permeability of active ingredients to reduce the dosage and loss of pesticides. To clarify the synergistic mechanism of graphene-insecticide nanocarriers against cotton bollworm, treatment groups, namely, control, graphene (G), insecticide (lambda-cyhalothrin (Cyh) and cyfluthrin (Cyf)), and graphene-delivered insecticide groups were used to treat the third-instar larvae of cotton bollworm. The variations in phenotypes, namely, the body length, body weight, and mortality of the cotton bollworm, were analyzed. The results show that graphene enhances the insecticidal activity of lambda-cyhalothrin and cyfluthrin against cotton bollworm. The two graphene-delivered insecticides with optimal compositions (3:1) had the strongest inhibitory effects and the highest mortality rates, with the fatality rates for the 3/1 Cyh/G and Cyf/G mixture compositions being 62.91% and 38.89%, respectively. In addition, the 100 μg/mL Cyh/G mixture had the greatest inhibitory effect on cotton bollworm, and it decreased the body length by 1.40 mm, decreased the weight by 1.88 mg, and had a mortality rate of up to 61.85%. The 100 and 150 μg/mL Cyh/G mixtures achieved the same mortality rate as that of lambda-cyhalothrin, thus reducing the use of the insecticide by one-quarter. The graphene-delivered insecticides could effectively destroy the epicuticle spine cells of the cotton bollworm by increasing the permeability and, thus, the toxicity of the insecticides.

Contrasting National Plant Protection Needs, Perceptions and Techno-Scientific Capabilities in the Asia-Pacific Region

Pests and pathogens inflict considerable losses in global agri-food production and regularly trigger the (indiscriminate) use of synthetic pesticides. In the Asia-Pacific, endemic and invasive organisms compromise crop yields, degrade farm profitability and cause undesirable social-environmental impacts. In this study, we systematically assess the thematic foci, coherence and inclusiveness of plant protection programs of 11 Asia-Pacific countries. Among 23 economically important diseases and 55 pests, survey respondents identified rice blast, rice brown planthopper, citrus greening disease, Tephritid fruit flies and fall armyworm as threats of regional allure. These organisms are thought to lower crop yields by 20–35% and cause management expenditures up to US$2,250 per hectare and year. Though decision-makers are familiar with integrated pest management (IPM), national programs are invariably skewed toward curative pesticide-intensive control. Pesticide reductions up to 50–100% are felt to be feasible and potentially can be attained through full-fledged IPM campaigns and amended policies. To rationalize farmers' pesticide use, decision criteria (e.g., economic thresholds) wait to be defined for multiple crop x pest systems and (participatory) training needs to be conducted e.g., on (pest, disease) symptom recognition or field-level scouting. Efforts are equally needed to amend stakeholder perceptions on ecologically based measures e.g., biological control. Given that several Asia–Pacific countries possess robust techno-scientific capacities in various IPM domains (e.g., taxonomy, molecular diagnostics, socioeconomics), they can take on an active role in regionally coordinated campaigns. As such, one can reinvigorate IPM and ensure that preventative, non-chemical pest management ultimately becomes the norm instead of the exception throughout the Asia–Pacific.

Agro-ecology science relates to economic development but not global pesticide pollution

Synthetic pesticides are core features of input-intensive agriculture and act as major pollutants driving environmental change. Agroecological science has unveiled the benefits of biodiversity for pest control, but research implementation at the farm-level is still difficult. Here we address this implementation gap by using a bibliometric approach, quantifying how countries' scientific progress in agro-ecology relates to pesticide application regimes. Among 153 countries, economic development does spur scientific innovation but irregularly bears reductions in pesticide use. Some emerging economies bend the Environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) - the observed environmental pollution by a country's wealth - for pesticides and few high-income countries exhibit a weak agro-ecology 'technique effect'. Our findings support recent calls for large-scale investments in nature-positive agriculture, underlining how agro-ecology can mend the ecological resilience, carbon footprint, and human health impacts of intensive agriculture. Yet, in order to effectively translate science into practice, scientific progress needs to be paralleled by policy-change, farmer education and broader awareness-raising.

Impacts of Wildflower Interventions on Beneficial Insects in Fruit Crops: A Review

Integrated pest management (IPM) has been practiced by the fruit industry for at least 30 years. Naturally occurring beneficial insects have been encouraged to thrive alongside introduced predatory insects. However, Conservation Biological Control (CBC) and augmented biocontrol through the release of large numbers of natural enemies is normally only widely adopted when a pest has become resistant to available conventional pesticides and control has begun to break down. In addition, the incorporation of wild pollinator management, essential to fruit production, has, in the past, not been a priority but is now increasingly recognized through integrated pest and pollinator management (IPPM). This review focuses on the impacts on pest regulation and pollination services in fruit crops through the delivery of natural enemies and pollinating insects by provisioning areas of fruiting crops with floral resources. Most of the studies in this review highlighted beneficial or benign impacts of floral resource prevision to fruit crops. However, placement in the landscape and spill-over of beneficial arthropods into the crop can be influential and limiting. This review also highlights the need for longer-term ecological studies to understand the impacts of changing arthropod communities over time and the opportunity to tailor wildflower mixes to specific crops for increased pest control and pollination benefits, ultimately impacting fruit growers bottom-line with less reliance on pesticides.