Over the years, synthetic pesticides like herbicides, algicides, miticides, bactericides, fumigants, termiticides, repellents, insecticides, molluscicides, nematicides, and pheromones have been used to improve crop yield. When pesticides are used, the over-application and excess discharge into water bodies during rainfall often lead to death of fish and other aquatic life. Even when the fishes still live, their consumption by humans may lead to the biomagnification of chemicals in the body system and can cause deadly diseases, such as cancer, kidney diseases, diabetes, liver dysfunction, eczema, neurological destruction, cardiovascular diseases, and so on. Equally, synthetic pesticides harm the soil texture, soil microbes, animals, and plants. The dangers associated with the use of synthetic pesticides have necessitated the need for alternative use of organic pesticides (biopesticides), which are cheaper, environment friendly, and sustainable. Biopesticides can be sourced from microbes (e.g., metabolites), plants (e.g., from their exudates, essential oil, and extracts from bark, root, and leaves), and nanoparticles of biological origin (e.g., silver and gold nanoparticles). Unlike synthetic pesticides, microbial pesticides are specific in action, can be easily sourced without the need for expensive chemicals, and are environmentally sustainable without residual effects. Phytopesticides have myriad of phytochemical compounds that make them exhibit various mechanisms of action, likewise, they are not associated with the release of greenhouse gases and are of lesser risks to human health compared to the available synthetic pesticides. Nanobiopesticides have higher pesticidal activity, targeted or controlled release with top-notch biocompatibility and biodegradability. In this review, we examined the different types of pesticides, the merits, and demerits of synthetic pesticides and biopesticides, but more importantly, we x-rayed appropriate and sustainable approaches to improve the acceptability and commercial usage of microbial pesticides, phytopesticides, and nanobiopesticides for plant nutrition, crop protection/yield, animal/human health promotion, and their possible incorporation into the integrated pest management system.

The uncontrolled use of chemicals, urban wastes, nuclear resources, mining, petrochemicals and disposal of sewage sludge only a few anthropogenic activities that have contributed to the rapid industrialization and severe heavy metal contamination of soils and waterways. Both inorganic and organic pollutants, such as heavy metals, pesticides, petroleum hydrocarbons, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, can impact the composition and functionality of soils. Soils and plants are affected by pollution, thus, pose a dire threat to food security. This directly renders the soil unuseful for agricultural purposes, destroys the beneficial microbes in the soil, reduces the soil organic matter content, causes the imbalance of soil nutrients, affects plant growth and the interaction between the plants and microbes, subsequently affecting the soil and crop productivity. In addition, environmental pollutants affect human health, leading to different illnesses such as headaches, allergies, coughs, depression, chest pain, nausea, diabetes, liver problems, cancers, eye problems, and so on. Remediation (physical, chemical or biological) is therefore necessary to reduce the impacts of these pollutants in the environment. Bioremediations involve using natural products from plants, microbes, and so on, to detoxify the environment and make it useful or productive again. A key type of remediation is the Remediation by Enhanced Natural Attenuation (RENA) which involves the turning of soil to promote microbial proliferation, aeration, nutrient availability, moisture and consequently, the degradation of pollutants. This review discusses the technology of RENA, the associated microbes, the mechanism of its action, challenges associated with its usage and recommendations to advance the use of RENA for a sustainable environment.

This study was conducted to determine the optimum planting date for maize (Zea mays L.) to cope with the negative impacts of climate change in the marginal rainforest agro-ecology as typified at Ile-Ife, SW Nigeria. Five maize varieties were planted weekly, in 3-replicate randomized complete block design experiments at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching and Research Farm, throughout the 2016 and 2017 cropping seasons. The varieties were monitored for seedling and adult plant traits including grain yield with its components. Statistical analysis showed significant effect of planting dates (DOP) on all traits. The first few DOPs in March and April had the highest grain yield which reduced with delayed planting till June and increased again mid July/August before finally dropping off thereafter. The higher yield in the earlier dates each year, was due to early flowering and taller plants with higher ear placement. Planting after the first few rains in March/April was the optimum for the first cropping season, and late July to mid-August was best for the second cropping season in this agroclimatic zone. Planting beyond these periods results in poor grain yield and pre-disposes the crop to terminal drought, which could result in complete crop failure.

Agriculture is crucial to the survival and well-being of the populations of most nations. It is the single most important means of livelihood and foreign exchange earnings for many nations globally. Crop Production is the bedrock of agriculture on which most other agricultural activities depend, because of the ability of plants to manufacture their food via photosynthesis, which is an essential phenomenon for the sustenance of the natural system. Thus, most other agricultural activities depend directly or indirectly on crop production. As a result of the exponential increase in world population, leading to a significant reduction in agricultural land due to urbanization; deforestation, air pollution, erosion, climate change, and consequently, food insecurity; measures must be put in place to ensure crop production intensification via sustainable and environmentally safe methods that guarantee food security. The principles of sustainable crop production intensification discussed in this Chapter include optimum tillage method, land and water resources management practices, suitable choice of agricultural system, precise crop management techniques, and bioremediation, in an already contaminate environment.

The wavering nature of environmental conditions caused by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and agricultural practices has resulted in global warming, a significant increase in average temperature, deepened by increasingly intensive agriculture, deforestation and increased use of fossil fuels. This often-unsafe anthropogenic interference with the environment has resulted in climate change with many negative impacts, such as, extreme weather phenomena, drought, fires, death of animal and plant species, and disruptions of food chain and destruction of agricultural resources. Therefore, there is a need to embrace environmentally sound crop management innovations to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on agriculture in the post-pandemic era. To sustain food security propelled by crop management innovations, climate smart agriculture (CSA) and climate resilient sustainable agriculture (CRSA) have to be employed. There is a need for agriculturists to develop crop management innovations that will tackle climate change negative impacts on man, animal and environment by leveraging more on technological innovations through scientific research. Access to good and affordable food products is important to boost herd immune and combat this COVID-19 virus spread within the population. This could only be realized by ensuring proper adaptation of agricultural production to the impacts of the prevailing and imminent climate change scenarios in the post-pandemic era.

Temperature and rainfall are critical variables influencing crop production in tropical regions such as Ile-Ife. Understanding recent trends in these variables is essential for helping farmers adapt to the impacts of climate change. This study analyzed 12 years (2011–2022) of daily air temperature and rainfall data from the automatic weather stations (AWS) at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, to identify trends and potential evidence of climate change. Summary and inferential statistical methods, including bar and line charts, mean, standard error of the mean, range, and regression analysis, were used for data analysis. Results showed rainfall pattern that has become more erratic with higher interannual variability, delayed onset, increased concentration in fewer months, and frequent extreme events, all of which indicate the intensifying impacts of climate change on local agriculture. The mean annual rainfall and range were 1505 mm and 675 mm to 2829 mm, respectively, with a declining trend (b = -45.62 mm) and a significant R² value of 0.48. Mean air temperature ranged from 25.2°C to 28.2°C with a declining trend over the past decade, and reduction in maximum annual temperature in contrast with earlier reports and global warming projections. Findings suggest that climate change at this location is characterized more by concentrated high rainfall events between June and August rather than a reduction in total annual rainfall or a significant temperature increase.