In this work by encapsulation technique we have synthetized three new clove bud essential oil (CEO) Emulsifiable Concentrate (EC) formulations depending on the carrier (synthetic zeolite- F-CSZ, nature zeolite- F-CNZ and gelatin- F-CG). The main idea was to develop an eco-friendly biopesticide that can find use in plant protection as an alternative to the use of conventional pesticides. By encapsulation we wanted to enable water solubility and ensure prolonged efficacy of the essential oil. Biological activity of designed CEO formulations was tested on potato tuber moth Phthorimaea operculella (fumigant mode of action), gray mold fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea (preserver coatings), and soft rotting bacterial pathogens Pectobacterium carotovorum (subsp. carotovorum and brasiliensis) and Dickeya dianthicola (direct competition). CEO formulations evinced a prolonged action on mortality of P. operculella during the insects’ exposure to the concentration of the emulsions of 40 µL L⁻¹ air. The mortality gradually decreased from a probability of 100% after the first 24 h to 50% after 5 days for F-CSZ or after 4 days for F-CNZ and F-CG. The most promising formulation is F-CSZ enabling activity during 14 days of exposure, while the effect of the other two formulations lasted 10 days. All three formulations produced a strong fungicidal effect against B. cinerea by preventing infection and disease development. The best efficacy was evidenced with F-CSZ (synthetic zeolite as a carrier) showing 100% efficacy when it was used even at the lowest tested concentration of active CEO (1%). The results of in vitro testing against soft rot pathogens determined the MIC value of CEO formulations to be 1% of active CEO. By this research, we present a novel perspective on the use of essential oils as an alternative, environmental biopesticide. CEO formulations can be commercially exploited as a fumigant or preserver coatings to extend the shelf life of stored products or the fresh-fruit market.

Sensitivity of 24 isolates of Colletotrichum destructivum O’Gara, collected from alfalfa plants in Serbia, to eight selected fungicides, was investigated in this study. Molecular identification and pathogenicity test of isolates tested were also performed. Fungicide sensitivity was evaluated in vitro, using mycelial growth assay method. All isolates exhibited significant pathogenicity, causing necrosis at the alfalfa seedling root tips two days after inoculation. Using the primer pair GSF1-SR1 and by comparing the amplified fragments of the tested isolates with the marker (M), the presence of the amplicon of the expected size of about 900 bp was determined for all isolates. The isolates tested in this study showed different sensitivity towards fungicides in vitro. Mycelial growth was highly inhibited by QoI (quinone outside inhibitors) fungicide pyraclostrobin (mean EC₅₀=0.39 µg mL⁻¹) and by DMI (demethylation-inhibiting) fungicide tebuconazole (mean EC₅₀=0.61 µg mL⁻¹), followed by azoxystrobin (mean EC₅₀=2.83 µg mL⁻¹) and flutriafol (mean EC₅₀=2.11 µg mL⁻¹). Multi-site fungicide chlorothalonil and MBC (methyl benzimidazole carbamate) fungicide thiophanate-methyl evinced moderate inhibition with mean EC₅₀=35.31 and 62.83 µg mL⁻¹, respectively. Thirteen isolates were sensitive to SDHI (succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors) fungicide boscalid and fluxapyroxad, (mean EC₅₀=0.49 and 0.19 µg mL⁻¹, respectively), while the rest of isolates were highly resistant.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the cumulative exposure of the population aged 10–24 years to pesticides that have a chronic effect on the thyroid. A consumption study covering fresh fruits and vegetables was collected from 377 respondents. In parallel, 2369 fruit and vegetable samples were chemically analyzed for pesticide residues. As a result, cumulative exposure was calculated for four different scenarios (as is, maximum residue level, 70% of MRL and below detection limit) using two recall methods. The results show that, depending on the scenario, cyprodinil from green lettuce and strawberries, fluopyram blueberries and strawberries, and fluxapyroxad, detected in grapes, contribute most to exposure. More stringent scenarios, with limits at 70% of the MRLs (0.7 MRL) and below the detection limit (“zero residue” approach), show that the estimated total margin of exposure increases by up to 50% in the “0.7 MRL” model, while levels almost triple in the “zero residue” model. The optimization of pesticide use has a beneficial effect on human health and the environment, contributing to the “One Health” approach.

Alfalfa anthracnose is an economically significant disease that leads to substantial biomass losses due to stem rot, reduced stand longevity, and a decline in forage nutritional quality. The disease is caused by multiple species within the genus Colletotrichum, including the 14 described species: C. gloeosporioides, C. truncatum, C. lindemuthianum, C. destructivum, C. dematium, C. trifolii, C. medicaginis, C. graminicola, C. coccodes, C. sojae, C. spinaciae, C. lini, C. americae-borealis, and C. tofieldiae. A thorough understanding of key aspects of the pathogen’s biology, along with its epidemiology, infection cycle, and accurate disease diagnosis, is essential for the development of sustainable management strategies. Knowledge of these factors allows us to anticipate disease outbreaks, implement timely interventions, and design integrated control measures that reduce reliance on chemical fungicides while maintaining crop productivity and forage quality. Although anthracnose management has traditionally relied on synthetic fungicides, this review synthesizes alternative control strategies to clarify the current state of knowledge and to provide new insights into the development of effective and sustainable approaches for managing Colletotrichum species.