Organic farming is a holistic production management system that promotes and enhances agroecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity, and consequently, it is an efficient and promising approach for sustainable agriculture within a circular and green economy. There has been a rise in the consumption of organic vegetables in the last years because of their organoleptic properties, higher nutritive value and lower risk of chemical residues harmful to health. The recent scientific evidence regarding the use of the major elements responsible for organic vegetable crop production indicates plant material, soil management and crop nutrition, soil disinfection, crop management and pest, disease and weed management. These techniques are the focus of this study. In general, the main outcomes of this review demonstrate that a great effort of innovation and research has been carried out by industry, researchers and farmers in order to reduce the environmental impact of the established and innovative horticultural practices while satisfying the requirements of consumers. However, research-specific studies should be carried out in different farming systems and pedoclimatic conditions to achieve the highest efficiency of these horticultural practices.

The tomato borer Tuta absoluta Meyrick is a serious tomato pest that has lately undergone a rapid expansion, causing severe crop losses. An integrated managemen

The life-stage variations in insecticide resistance of western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), to selective insecticides (acrinathrin, formetanate, and methiocarb) were studied using resistant laboratory strains. In each strain, the second-instar larva was less susceptible to the insecticides tested than the adults. The lower the resistance level of the adults, the higher the difference between larva and adult susceptibility: 32-fold to methiocarb, 15.4-fold to formetanate, and 180-fold to acrinathrin in the reference strain. In laboratory-selected resistant strains, these differences were much lower: 5.8-fold to methiocarb, 4.8-fold to formetanate, and 2.0-fold to acrinathrin. In selected strains, higher resistance levels for each insecticide were found, both for larvae and adults, compared with the reference strain. These results show that after insecticide resistance selection in adults, the resistance is carried over to the larvae, but at lower levels.

Intensive pesticide use raises concerns for environmental, human, and animal health, yet Europe-wide data on exposure remain fragmented. In this study, 224 pesticide residues were analysed in environmental and biological samples collected during the 2021 growing season across 10 European sites, covering conventional and organic farms. Samples included human (farmers, neighbours, consumers) and animal (cattle, goats, pigs, sheep, chickens, cats) matrices—urine, plasma, faeces, and silicone wristbands—as well as farm feed and environmental matrices including soil, earthworms, crops, water, sediment, outdoor air/dust, and indoor dust. Across all matrices, the top ten rankings based on detection frequency identified 63 priority compounds; 62 were detected in at least two matrices. Notably, non-approved pesticides accounted for 10–70% of the residues in the top ten across human, animal, and environmental samples. Detection frequencies and concentrations were generally higher in conventional than in organic systems, although differences were smaller than expected. The most frequently detected residues were glyphosate (in 9 of 16 matrices) and the banned persistent DDT metabolite p,p′ DDE (in 11 of 16 matrices). Overall, pesticide residues were widespread, mostly at low levels, across humans, animals, and environments in Europe. A One-Health-based harmonised monitoring and risk assessment approach is needed, including both approved and non-approved compounds.