Journal of Natural Pesticide Research最新文献

{"title":"Biocontrol potential of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. aizawai GC-91 (Bacillales: Bacillaceae) against Spodoptera eridania (Stoll, 1782) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)","authors":"Enrique Yamakawa ,&nbsp;Fabio de Deus Oliveira-Junior ,&nbsp;Elton Luiz Scudeler ,&nbsp;Helio Conte ,&nbsp;Bruno Vinícius Daquila ,&nbsp;Satiko Nanya","doi":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100179","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100179","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Spodoptera eridania</em> (Stoll, 1782) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is an insect pest that affects several crops in Brazil, causing yield losses. Traditional larval control relies on synthetic insecticides, which may harm the environment and non-target organisms. Thus, sustainable alternatives are needed. <em>Bacillus thuringiensis</em> (Bacillales: Bacillaceae) (Bt) is an entomopathogenic bacterium widely used in bioinsecticides due to its specificity and safety. This study evaluated the biocontrol potential of Bt subsp. <em>aizawai</em> GC-91 against <em>S. eridania</em> neonates and its effects on the midgut. Four concentrations of a commercial product: (0.62, 1.25, 2.50, and 5.00 g/L⁻¹) corresponding to 23.6, 47.5, 95, and 190 µg/mL of insecticidal proteins, respectively, were incorporated into an artificial diet and offered to larvae. Mortality was recorded every 24 for 168 h, and midgut samples were collected at 24 and 48 h. Concentrations of 1.25, 2.50, and 5.00 g/L⁻¹ resulted in 100 % mortality after 168 h, with lethal concentrations estimated at LC₅₀ = 0.35 g/L⁻¹ (CI = 0.27–0.43) and LC₉₀ = 0.64 g/L⁻¹ (CI = 0.55–0.76). Histological and ultrastructural analyses revealed midgut alterations at both time points including projections of columnar cells into the lumen, vesiculation, displacement of the basal lamina, and intercellular and intracellular spacing. These results demonstrate that Bt subsp. <em>aizawai</em> GC-91 has strong entomopathogenic activity against <em>S. eridania</em> larvae, severely damaging their midgut. Therefore, this bacterium represents an efficient and promising alternative for the sustainable control of this polyphagous pest in different crops.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100809,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Pesticide Research","volume":"15 ","pages":"Article 100179"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145790059","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Potential of bacterial isolates for the biological control of apple scab (Venturia inaequalis)","authors":"Safae Gouit ,&nbsp;Mohammed Radi ,&nbsp;Ismahane Chair ,&nbsp;Zineb Belabess ,&nbsp;Abdelaaziz Farhaoui ,&nbsp;Abdessalem Tahiri ,&nbsp;Abderrahim Lazraq ,&nbsp;Rachid Lahlali","doi":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100165","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100165","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Apple scab, caused by <em>Venturia inaequalis</em>, is one of the most important diseases in apple orchards generally controlled by chemical fungicides. To promote sustainable practices, these fungicides should be replaced with environmentally friendly alternatives, such as biological control methods. This study tested the biocontrol potential of nine bacterial isolates against five isolates of <em>V. inaequalis</em> from the Fes-Meknes region. These bacterial isolates had previously demonstrated activity against other infections. These bacterial isolates exhibited a mycelial growth suppression ranging from 60 % to 92 %, with significant differences observed among the fungal isolates. In detached leaf bioassays, the antagonistic bacterial strains showed greater preventive than curative efficacy in combination with the fungicide difenoconazole. <em>In vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> treatments showed variable efficacy depending on the fungal isolates. Among the microorganisms tested, <em>Alcaligenes faecalis</em> (ACBC1), <em>Bacillus amyloliquefaciens</em> (CPa2), and <em>B. amyloliquefaciens</em> (SF14) proved effective against several strains of <em>V. inaequalis</em>, although their effectiveness was generally lower than that of the fungicidal product (difenoconazole). <em>In vitro</em> tests using culture filtrates of the aforementioned bacterial isolates gave inhibition rates of 21–73 %. In addition, inhibition rates ranging from 40 % to 50 % reflected the importance of the antifungal metabolites produced by these bacterial isolates on spore germination and elongation. The bacteria also emitted volatile compounds, which exhibited antifungal activity, inhibiting fungal growth between 6 % and 80 %. Additionally, biochemical studies confirmed that these antagonist bacterial isolates have the potential to secrete lytic enzymes, thus adding to their antifungal properties. These findings suggest that these bacterial strains hold great potential for the development of effective biofungicides in sustainable and efficient management of apple scab.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100809,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Pesticide Research","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100165"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145226900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sapindus saponaria L. (Sapindaceae) as a reservoir of plant-growth-promoting endophytes: Diversity, phosphate solubilization, enzymatic activity, and biocontrol potential","authors":"Adriana Garcia ,&nbsp;Julio Cesar Polonio ,&nbsp;Andressa Domingos Polli ,&nbsp;Caroline Menicoze dos Santos ,&nbsp;Sandro Augusto Rhoden ,&nbsp;Tiago Tognolli de Almeida ,&nbsp;João Lúcio Azevedo ,&nbsp;Halison Correia Golias ,&nbsp;João Alencar Pamphile","doi":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100145","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100145","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Endophytic bacteria from the medicinal plant <em>Sapindus saponaria</em> were comprehensively characterized for their plant growth promotion potential, enzymatic activities, and biocontrol capabilities against phytopathogens. Through 16S rRNA gene sequencing of 126 isolates, 58 strains belonging to 17 genera were identified, with <em>Staphylococcus</em> (25.8 %), <em>Acinetobacter</em> (13.7 %), <em>Enterococcus</em> (12.0 %), and <em>Bacillus</em> (10.3 %) as the most abundant. Phosphate solubilization screening revealed that 16 of 39 tested strains (41 %) possessed this trait, with <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> SS93 showing exceptional activity (solubilization index = 7.07). Remarkably, 97.4 % of strains produced at least one hydrolytic enzyme, with high frequencies of proteases (79.5 %), lipases (61.5 %), and pectinases (46.2 %) production. The strain <em>Paenibacillus</em> sp. SS73 demonstrated particularly broad enzymatic capabilities, actively secreting seven different enzyme types. In biocontrol assays against six phytopathogens, <em>Bacillus amyloliquefaciens</em> SS13, and <em>P. aeruginosa</em> SS93 showed outstanding antagonism, inhibiting <em>Alternaria alternata</em>, <em>Fusarium solani</em>, and <em>Colletotrichum</em> sp. by 74–89 %. Notably, SS13 alone inhibited <em>Sclerotinia sclerotiorum</em> by 76.8 %. Inhibition occurred even without physical contact, suggesting antibiotic compound production. These results establish <em>S</em>. <em>saponaria</em> as a valuable source of multifunctional endophytes, with selected strains exhibiting phosphate solubilization, diverse enzymatic activities with industrial potential, and significant biocontrol capacity against economically important plant pathogens. The combined traits of these endophytes make them promising candidates for developing sustainable agricultural inputs and biotechnological applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100809,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Pesticide Research","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100145"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144695365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Larvicidal effects of Myrciaria floribunda (H. West ex Willd.) O. Berg nanoemulsion against Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762)","authors":"Francisco Paiva Machado ,&nbsp;Ruan Ingliton Corrêa Feio ,&nbsp;Luiz A.P. Flores-Junior ,&nbsp;Débora Nascimento Eiriz ,&nbsp;Camilo H.S. Lima ,&nbsp;Luiza R.S. Dias ,&nbsp;Caio P. Fernandes ,&nbsp;Leandro Rocha","doi":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100148","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100148","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dengue remains a major health problem among the arboviruses transmitted by the <em>Aedes aegypti</em> (Diptera: Culicidae). From December 2023 until November 2024, 14 million dengue cases were reported in 80 countries. The use of synthetic insecticides is the classical method to interrupt the transmission of arboviruses. However, the widespread use induced <em>Ae. aegypti</em> to develop biological resistance mechanisms. In addition, they are often toxic to the environment and humans. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the insecticidal properties of the <em>Myrciaria floribunda</em> essential oil as an eco-friendly nanoemulsion in third-instar larvae. The main constituents of the essential oil were 1,8-cineole (13.03 %), (<em>E</em>)-nerolidol (13.48 %), and β-selinene (12.13 %). The nanoemulsion showed a proper appearance with a bluish reflection. Its droplet size diameter was 88.34 ± 0.946 nm, the polydispersity index was 0.276 ± 0.014, and the zeta potential was −34.70 ± 1.311 mV. Furthermore, the nanoemulsion also showed stability after 15 days of preparation and when exposed to increasing temperatures. Concerning the larvicidal effect, the nanoemulsion exhibited LC₅₀ values of 233.65 (199.9–272.5) µg/mL after 48 h of exposure. Molecular docking studies suggest that the sesquiterpenes (<em>E</em>)-nerolidol, β-selinene, and α-selinene may be associated with insecticidal activity due to their interactions with the enzyme <em>Aa</em>AChE1. Therefore, this study described the <em>Myrciaria floribunda</em> essential oil nanoemulsion, obtained from green methods, as a practical vector control for <em>Aedes aegypti</em> larvae.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100809,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Pesticide Research","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100148"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144841944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Decoding the biocontrol potential of C22 phage: A natural solution to bacterial wilt disease","authors":"Chooseel Bunsuwansakul,&nbsp;Kittiya Showpanish,&nbsp;Namthip Phironrit,&nbsp;Udom Sae-Ueng","doi":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100158","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100158","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Ralstonia solanacearum</em> species complex (RSSC) causes bacterial wilt disease in major crops worldwide. As naturally occurring bacterial predators, bacteriophages (phages) offer a promising and environmentally friendly alternative to chemical pesticides. Understanding phages in-depth is needed for effective phage use in integrated pest management. In this study, we characterized a novel phage, C22, isolated from soil in Chiang Mai, Thailand, for its potential as a natural biopesticide against RSSC. The C22 phage is novel and capable of lysing <em>Ralstonia solanacearum</em> (<em>Rs</em>). The phage genome length is 43,284 base pairs (bp). We annotated 57 proteins, with 27 matching phage proteins with known functions or features. We found three closely related isolates, including the RpY1 and DU_RP_II phages infecting <em>Ralstonia</em> spp. and the <em>Ensifer adhaerens</em> isolate ST2 prophage. Together with the C22 phage, they potentially belong to a novel genus based on genomic and proteomic analyses. We evaluated its properties as a biocontrol agent. C22 phage has a wide host range, a burst size of 427 PFU per cell, and is highly stable at 20–50 °C, pHs 5–11, and 10–50 mM MgSO₄, making it an attractive choice for biocontrol utilization. These findings support the potential of C22 as a natural pesticide for bacterial wilt management and provide a foundation for phage formulation, storage, and integration into pest management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100809,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Pesticide Research","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100158"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145104302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of postharvest drying methods on metabolite composition of Solanum sisymbriifolium extract","authors":"Hashim Ibrahim ,&nbsp;Louise-Marie Dandurand ,&nbsp;Inna Popova","doi":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100167","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100167","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The pesticidal activity of <em>Solanum sisymbriifolium</em> is attributed to a range of plant secondary metabolites including glycoalkaloids that can be concentrated from plant tissues. While the pesticidal activity of <em>S. sisymbriifolium</em> is documented, the chemical composition of plant tissue and plant extracts are still poorly understood. Plant material is inherently complex, comprising a wide spectrum of metabolites with varying degrees of polarity. Therefore, appropriate sample preparation, especially drying, is crucial for true representation of plant chemistry and for achieving high isolation efficiency of biopesticidal active compounds. Hence, the objective of this research was to evaluate the impacts of different postharvest drying techniques (room drying, freeze drying, and oven drying) on the metabolomic profiles of <em>S. sisymbriifolium</em> extracts. Based on untargeted UPLC-QTOF MS profiles of plant extracts, different methods of biomass drying significantly influence the preservation and extractability of 1366 <em>S. sisymbriifolium</em> secondary metabolites. Oven drying and freeze drying were found to be the most effective methods, with oven drying yielding the highest concentrations of alkaloids, terpenoids, and phenolic compounds. In contrast, room drying generally resulted in reduced metabolite concentrations, likely due to oxidative degradation. The results highlight the importance of selecting appropriate drying methods to achieve the desired metabolic profile and to assure the preservation of biopesticidal activity of the proposed biomass feedstock material.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100809,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Pesticide Research","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100167"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145265851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In vitro control of fungal phytopathogens from strawberry fruits using active packaging films made with thyme essential oil and polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate","authors":"Citlali Colín-Chávez ,&nbsp;Karen Nayeli Tapia-Esquivel ,&nbsp;José Juan Virgen-Ortiz ,&nbsp;Miguel Ángel Martínez-Téllez ,&nbsp;Elizabeth Peralta ,&nbsp;Daniel Emilio Tejeda-Navarro ,&nbsp;Orlando Hernández-Cristobal ,&nbsp;Roberto Pablo Talamantes-Soto ,&nbsp;Abel Hurtado-Macias","doi":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100160","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100160","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present work is a promising step toward controlling fungal phytopathogens on strawberry fruits associated with decay. We have achieved this by exposing them to thyme essential oil and antifungal thyme essential oil/polyhydroxy-butyrate-co-valerate (PHBV) films. Phytopathogens (<em>Alternaria tenuissima</em>, <em>Colletotrichum acutatum</em>, <em>Geotrichum candidum</em>, and <em>Cladosporium cladosporioides</em>) were isolated from strawberry fruits postharvest. The mycelial growth of these phytopathogens was effectively inhibited with 0.25 and 0.50 mg/mL of thyme essential oil (40.69 ± 0.05 g of Thymol /100 g of oil) after 6 Days. The innovative use of thyme essential oil and PHBV in developing antifungal active film for food packaging, fabricated using the casting method with different doses of thyme essential oil: 4 % (T4), 6 % (T6), and 8 % (T8), has shown promising results. The T8 treatments inhibit fungal growth to a certain percentage concerning Cneg. <em>A. tenuissima</em> = 57 %, <em>C. acutatum</em> = 54 %, <em>G. candidum</em> = 61 % and <em>C. cladosporioides</em>= 56 %: at Day 6. The thyme essential oil released from the thyme essential oil and PHBV films changes the morphology and damages the membrane permeability of the phytopathogens tested. This research opens up new possibilities for effectively controlling strawberries' fruit losses with antifungal active films (active packaging).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100809,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Pesticide Research","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100160"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145120887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A bioformulation of oyster shell, neem, sida, and citronella extracts boosts cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) seedling development and resistance to black pod disease caused by Phytophthora megakarya","authors":"Ebenezer Tatiekam Foka ,&nbsp;Tatiana Flore Pacha Magni ,&nbsp;Paul Martial Tayo Tene ,&nbsp;Aristide Dzelamonyuy ,&nbsp;Pierre Effa Onomo ,&nbsp;Thaddée Boudjeko ,&nbsp;Cécile Annie Ewane","doi":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100163","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100163","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Phytophthora megakarya</em> is the major destroyer of cocoa production in Central and West Africa. The present study evaluated the efficacy of a bioformulation called Optimized Bio Formulation Prime (OBF') containing oyster shell extract and plant extracts (neem seed, sida weed and citronella) with tween80, on cocoa seedling production. The formulation was tested for stability and activity and it appears that it is stable at 25 °C and reduces the growth of <em>Phytophthora megakarya</em> by 55 % when used at 1 µL/mL. OBF' exerts its fungicidal activity by inhibiting protein synthesis and ATPase/H⁺ pump activity of <em>Phytophthora megakarya</em>. The GC-MS analysis of OBF' showed the presence of compounds among which citral and geraniol which have antimicrobial and insecticidal activity. After two weeks, the length and number of secondary roots of the germinated seeds had significantly increased. In addition, the use of OBF' in the <em>in planta</em> assay significantly increased leaf surface area. Detached leaf analysis of these seedlings showed a significant reduction in disease severity index of about 79 % compared to untreated plants with OBF'. It was found that OBF' induce PR proteins such as β-1,3-glucanases and peroxidases. A significant increase in polyphenol and polyphenol oxidase activities was also observed in OBF' treated plants. This work demonstrated the stability at 25°C and the efficacy of the OBF' formulation in the management of cocoa black pod disease and, subsequently, increasing the robustness of cocoa plant seedlings against <em>Phytophthora megakarya</em> by priming them with increased defense markers. OBF’ may help to protect cocoa seedlings production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100809,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Pesticide Research","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100163"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145226899","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy of linalool and nerolidol for protecting stored maize seeds from Prostephanus truncatus and Sitophilus zeamais, and aflatoxin-producing fungi","authors":"Seth K. Asare ,&nbsp;Vincent Y. Eziah ,&nbsp;Seloame T. Nyaku","doi":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100169","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100169","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The botanically derived terpenoids linalool and nerolidol were evaluated as post-harvest protectants of maize (<em>Zea mays</em> L.) seed against two major storage insects, <em>Prostephanus truncatus</em> (Horn) and <em>Sitophilus zeamais</em> Motsch., and the aflatoxin-producing fungus <em>Aspergillus flavus</em> Link. Analytical standards (≥ 97 % purity for linalool and ≥ 67 % purity for nerolidol) were applied to seeds (50 g) at 11.18 µmol·g⁻¹ and 7.87 µmol·g⁻¹ respectively, and compared with a commercial fungicide (Betallic EC) and an untreated control. At the test dose, linalool achieved 93.3 % repellency against <em>P. truncatus</em> and 100 % repellency against <em>S. zeamais</em>; corresponding values for nerolidol were 86.7 % for both species. Both terpenoids caused significant adult mortality and sharply reduced F₁ progeny emergence relative to controls (p &lt; 0.05). Surface-inoculated kernels showed marked suppression of <em>A. flavus</em> mycelial growth. Complete fungal growth inhibition (100 %) was obtained with linalool and Betallic EC; nerolidol also reduced colony expansion and visibly restricted sporulation. Quantification of aflatoxins revealed parallel reductions in AFB₁ and AFB₂ titres. These findings demonstrate that linalool and nerolidol possess dual insecticidal and antifungal activities. When applied preventively to clean maize, the compounds can lower insect infestation, curb fungal colonization, and thereby lessen aflatoxin contamination under laboratory conditions during storage. Their efficacy supports further development as environmentally compatible alternatives or supplements to synthetic protectants in small-scale and commercial grain-storage systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100809,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Pesticide Research","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100169"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145361564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of foliar application of caffeine in almond (Prunus dulcis) cultivation as an alternative to chemical pesticides: Minimizing chemical residue in almond hulls for sustainable use of almond by-products","authors":"Manjula Nishantha Udagepolage Don ,&nbsp;Singarayer Florentine ,&nbsp;Chris Turville ,&nbsp;Kithsiri Dassanayake","doi":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100147","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.napere.2025.100147","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Almonds are universally recognised as a highly nutritious and economically valuable edible nut. However, the 2023/2024 global Almond production of 1.51 million metric tons generated a significant amount of waste, mainly in hulls, totalling about 5.03 million metric tons. Addressing the sustainable disposal of this waste is crucial to ensuring the industry's long-term viability. Whilst Almond hulls are a valuable source of crude protein and dietary fibre for livestock feed, when using them as feed for dairy and beef cows, it is essential to consider the possibility of carry-over pesticide residues resulting from chemical pathogen control during production. These residues have the potential to enter the food chain and appear in dairy and beef products. This study tests the hypothesis of using natural caffeine as a replacement for chemical pesticides, which could help to reduce the chemical residue levels in Almond hulls. There were three different concentrations of caffeine, 0.01, 0.1, and 0.5 % (w/v), used as foliar applications for three common Almond varieties. Caffeine treatments have been found to effectively control Almond fungal diseases like Hull Rot and Shot-Hole in commercial agriculture production, and they also show some effectiveness in reducing damage from insect pests. The treatments have been shown (i) to have a positive impact on increasing kernel weights and enhancing nut sets, not significantly affecting the plant's absorption of nutrients or the distribution of plant nutrients, and (iii) they have a neutral effect on leaf chlorophyll levels. These results indicate the potential of caffeine to address pesticide Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) issues and support its use in combination with suitably Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approaches.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100809,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Pesticide Research","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100147"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144831398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}