(Beyond Pesticides, May 9, 2025) Research in Advances in Modern Agriculture showcases how pesticide residues can threaten the health of soil nematodes and cause phytotoxic effects in cucumber plants. In assessing both the sprayed vegetables and the organisms within the soil, the authors find a negative correlation between pesticide exposure and soil nematode populations that is proportional to the application rates of the chemicals, as well as alterations in plant development. These impacts highlight potential wider effects on crop productivity, biodiversity, and human health. “Nematodes, which are microscopic worms inhabiting the soil, are vital contributors to soil vitality and the cycling of nutrients,” the authors share. “Nonetheless, the non-selective and widespread application of pesticides can negatively impact these organisms, leading to potential detriments in soil quality and plant vitality.” “Pesticide residues have the propensity to be absorbed and progressively accumulate as they traverse from soil to plants and subsequently to humans,” the researchers state. They continue, “The specific characteristics of the pesticide and its interactions with the body across different levels dictate whether it will be excreted without causing significant harm or if it will accumulate, potentially leading to enduring subclinical and clinical ramifications.” The impacts vary widely between organisms […]

(Beyond Pesticides, January 3, 2025) Pesticides that are sprayed and become airborne significantly disrupt ecological balances and affect nontarget species that are crucial for maintaining biodiversity, according to an article in Environmental Pollution. In this review of studies throughout countries in North and South America, Europe, and Asia, among others, researchers from Germany, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Poland reinforce the science about pesticides’ direct effect on species and the cascading effects of pesticide drift through various trophic levels within food webs that lead to overall devasting population effects. This study “addresses the interconnectedness of these impacts and illustrates the complex threats that pesticide drift poses to biodiversity across multiple ecosystems,” the researchers state. They continue: “Impacts include reduced reproductive rates, changes in growth, development, and/or behavior, modification of diversity or community organization, disruption of food webs, and declines of important species. Pesticides disrupt the delicate balance between species that define a functioning ecosystem. Impacts can be local, transnational, or even continental.” Pesticide drift threatens beneficial species and subsequently the entire agricultural system. The process of pesticide drift, “in which up to 25% of applied pesticides are carried by air currents, can transport chemicals over hundreds or even thousands of […]

(Beyond Pesticides, January 2, 2025) Adding to the body of scientific literature on the fast escalating antibiotic resistance crisis is a study published by Chinese scientists in Environmental Science & Technology, which shows that antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soils move up through trophic levels via predation. Gut microbiomes of soil fauna have been found to be reservoirs of ARGs. How this process operates in soils is vital, because what happens in soil microbes does not stay there. If bacteria altered in soils move up trophic levels, ARGs may strengthen the multicellular agricultural pests the industry is trying to kill—insects, fungi, plants—not to mention bringing their libraries of resistant genes into the microbiomes of vertebrates, including humans. Antibiotic resistance is a natural phenomenon, but human activity has greatly increased its presence in ecosystems the world over, including in one of the ecological niches of greatest concern to the future of food and human health: soils. Soils are complexes of mineral and organic substrates populated by billions of microorganisms and tiny animals. They are rapidly being degraded by conventional agriculture, forestry, and land management practices generally—more than a third of the world’s agricultural land has already been severely damaged by pesticides, […]

(Beyond Pesticides, December 10, 2024) Scientists from the Engineering Research Center of Protection and Utilization of Plant Resources at Shenyang Agricultural University in China reveal adverse effects of imidacloprid on soil communities in a study published in Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology. The researchers highlight risks to nematodes from imidacloprid exposure in maize soil, as well as potential resistance mechanisms that impact not only nematode populations but also overall soil health. Maize, or corn, a productive crop grown worldwide, is a source of food and biofuel. In assessing the soil and species in maize fields after exposure to imidacloprid at various concentrations, the study researchers assess the impact of neonicotinoid insecticides on nontarget organisms and the health of soil communities. The assessment includes an evaluation of nematodes’ survival, growth, reproduction, and chemotaxis/locomotion behavior. With a statistical analysis of lipid and lipofuscin accumulation, acetylcholinesterase (an enzyme necessary for neurotransmission) activity, and gene expression levels, the study results show that imidacloprid induces: significantly reduced abundance and diversity of nematode species. negative effects on body length, reproduction, locomotion, lipid accumulation, lipofuscin accumulation, and acetylcholinesterase activity in Caenorhabditis elegans ( elegans). the upregulation of gpa-1, cyp-35a2, fat-2, fat-6, hsp-16.41, and hsp-16.2, along with the downregulation […]

(Beyond Pesticides, December 2, 2024) An international team of researchers has found that organic farming increases the quantity and diversity of crop plant microbiota, further safeguarding crops with enhanced pathogen resistance. Their recent study, published in Plants, People, Planet, builds on the legacy of decades of peer-reviewed research and centuries of agricultural systems that do not rely on toxic, petrochemical-based products (e.g., fertilizers, pesticides, etc.) as the driving force for agricultural productivity. As many analysts express concern that the incoming administration will increase the promotion of petrochemicals in domestic food production and eschew regulations to curtail their use, organic advocates and farmers remain committed to transforming agricultural and land management systems that reject chemical dependency, which is escalating the existential threats to biodiversity, public health, and the climate. Goals, Methodology, and Background The authors of this study are researchers at Université de Rennes, Université de Paris-Saclay, L’Institut Agro Rennes-Angers, European Society for Agronomy, France’s National Research for Agriculture (INRAE), and Nanjing Agricultural University in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. The goal of this study was to compare the effects of organic with chemical-intensive agricultural plots on microbial life on winter wheat roots. Winter wheat was selected because of the projected increase in […]

(Beyond Pesticides, November 7, 2024) Organic banana production is significantly more conducive to microbial decomposition than its chemical-intensive counterparts in the Caribbean nation of Martinique, according to a recent study published in Applied Soil Ecology. “Macrofaunal decomposition was increased more (55%) than microbial decomposition (20%), indicating that organic farming removes a constraint of conventional farming especially affecting macrofauna.” Biological activity in the soil is foundational to organic land management and critical to the cycling of nutrients that feed plant life while contributing to resiliency and soil water retention. Bananas are one of the most highly consumed fresh fruits in the U.S. marketplace. A consumer survey conducted by the International Fresh Produce Association in 2023 identified 84% of households purchasing bananas that year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service identifies bananas as the third most consumed fruit product in the United States, with the average person eating 13.2 pounds that year. Since bananas require specific bioclimatic conditions for commercial production that meets ongoing consumer demand, the proliferation of industrial-scale monoculture banana plantations in various Central and South American countries and territories has and continues to devastate local and Indigenous communities for generations. Environmental justice and public health advocates […]

(Beyond Pesticides, November 1, 2024) In a study published earlier this year in Soil Science Society of America Journal, researchers at Kansas State University document direct evidence that organic amendments (e.g., manure and compost) in a no-till agricultural system “facilitat[e] microbial diversity” that cycles plant-available nutrients. The study was published just as farmers are looking for less expensive practices that support the economic vitality of their farms amid surging prices for petrochemical pesticides and fertilizers and as agricultural support programs are threatened by unresolved issues in Farm Bill talks on Capitol Hill. [See the recent Action of the Week calling on Congress to take action.] Simultaneously, awareness is growing among environmental and public health advocates about the importance of soil health to ecosystem stability in combatting climate change-induced natural disasters and stopping plummeting biodiversity. Demands for new systems rooted in organic principles and land management practices continue to become more widely recognized by farmers, environmentalists, and the broad public. The study adds to earlier findings and contributes to the body of scientific literature on soil health and its importance to ecosystem and human health. Methodology and Results The study was led by researchers at Kansas State University specializing in agronomy […]

(Beyond Pesticides, October 22, 2024) A recent study, published through the American Chemical Society, analyzes pesticide contamination in riparian soil and plants as a result of flooding from streams in Germany. The authors hypothesize, and then prove, that frequently flooded sites have higher levels of pesticides present due to the pesticides in surface waters contaminating the soil. Results show that the plant vegetation in the contaminated soil then takes up the pesticides, which bioaccumulate and lead to higher contamination that can further cascade throughout the ecosystem and affect terrestrial food webs. “[O]ur study provides evidence from the field that nontarget plant species typical for riparian stream sites receive considerable pesticide exposure via flooding events,” the authors share. This exposure, and subsequent bioaccumulation in plants, threatens the food web, as many riparian plants are a vital food source for insects. According to the authors, flooding events, and their impact on pesticide contamination within soil and plants, are rarely investigated. This study, “measur[ing] 98 pesticides and metabolites in plants and root-zone soils sampled at five streams situated in an area in Southwest Germany characterized by intensive agricultural land use,” highlights the differences in contamination between frequently flooded and rarely flooded areas and […]

(Beyond Pesticides, October 9, 2024) An agrichemical industry-funded study published in International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability dissects the development of national organic standards and opportunities that can be applied in expanding the use of “regenerative” agriculture. Not surprisingly, the study authors offer support for integrated pest management (IPM) and reassurance of a rigorous pesticide registration review process before the chemicals are marketed. The study included a survey of five farmers, who farm a total of 100,000 acres, but do not have extensive experience farming organically. For those practicing regenerative organic practices and organic advocates, the bottom line is that the study concludes that a list of criteria that would be needed for regenerative agriculture criteria (e.g., list of allowed substances) already exists within the standards and requirements of the 1990 Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) and the National Organic Program. Environmental and public health advocates are concerned about this piece representing an industry position being cloaked in an academic journal serving as an obstacle to the widespread adoption and improvement of organic principles and practices. The study was written by four authors with varying levels of connections to CropLife America (the major agrichemical industry trade group), including academic researchers with […]

(Beyond Pesticides, September 4, 2024) A study in the Journal of Environmental Science and Public Health adds to the body of science that highlights the ecological decline threatening all species as a result of hazardous chemicals in the environment. “When environmental changes undermine a species’ or population’s ability to survive, it is said to be in an ecological crisis,” the authors state. They continue, “Pesticides, particularly persistent organic pollutants (POPs), are among the top ten chemicals and hazardous compounds that the WHO [World Health Organization] has recognized as being a concern for global health. The overuse and improper handling of agrochemicals is the primary driver of the ecological disaster.”   The researchers, from the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in India, conducted a literature review to look broadly and comprehensively at the range of factors that contribute to adverse health effects (from breast cancer to genotoxic effects, chronic kidney disease, neurotoxicity, and more). They searched PubMed and Google Scholar for studies between 2004-2024 for relevant information on soil health, sustainable agriculture, food security, soil security, and the associations with human health. Their scientific findings lead the authors to conclude that the building of healthy soils will eliminate the need […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 9, 2024)​​ A study in the journal Biology and Fertility of Soils has confirmed once again that organic agriculture contributes significantly to soil health, improving ecological functions that are harmed by conventional, chemical-intensive farming practices. Organic soil amendments (fertilizers) that feed soil organisms increase beneficial protistan predators and support sustainable predator-prey relationships within the soil microbiome. [‘Protist’ is a catch-all term that describes ancient lineages of eukaryotes—organisms with a nucleus—that are neither a true plant, animal, or fungus.] The study shows that organic farming creates a healthy ecosystem able to support a balance of life forms in the soil. Moreover, the study finds that the use of chemical fertilizers for agricultural management disrupt the stable biological relationship between protistan predators and their bacterial prey in soils, adding to the argument for transitioning away from conventional systems that lean on toxic inputs.   Healthy soil contains millions of living species that form the microbiome. Most of the biodiversity in soil consists of bacteria and fungi, and their number and type are regulated partially by predatory protists and nematodes that feed on bacteria. Akin to the impact of predators keeping a herd of prey healthy by hunting the sick, […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 29, 2024) A study from the Academy of Biology and Biotechnologies and the Federal Rostov Agricultural Research Centre adds to the body of science linking pesticide use with negative impacts on soil health and bacterial communities. Antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs), considered a class of pollutants, are found in certain types of bacteria and can spread through the environment and subsequently to humans and animals. This study, performed by researchers and soil experts, found an increase in specific bacterial families that host ARGs with exposure to pesticides.  The study aims to identify the role of agricultural soils in ARG transfer and to assess the presence and prevalence of bacterial families with and without exposure to fertilizers and pesticides. Since soil serves as a habitat for a wide range of bacteria, including many that are resistant to antibiotics, analyzing the organisms within soil samples is an indicator of overall environmental health. Agricultural soils are essential in food production, and as this study states, “[I]ntensive exploitation of such soils implies the widespread use of various chemical plant protection products (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides) and mineral fertilizers, which contribute to pollution and a decrease in soil quality.”   Within this field study, there is […]

(Beyond Pesticides, June 14, 2023) The exoskeleton of the black soldier fly (BSF; Hermetica illucens) has the potential to be an effective organic fertilizer. A study in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment highlights the positive impacts on plant size, flower count, seed production, appeal to pollinators, and resilience to herbivory that the fly’s molted exoskeleton (or exuviae) can have when used as a soil supplement. The use of insect exuviae as an organic alternative to harmful synthetic fertilizers is an important step toward an environment free from chemical contaminants, and BSF are uniquely equipped to contribute to a regenerative organic agricultural system. The study set out to determine the impacts of BSF exuviae on plant growth, resilience to herbivory, and pollination. The scientists divided black mustard plants into four different treatment groups: 1) grown in soil amended with BSF powdered exuviae; 2) control group planted in chemically-treated (conventional) soil; 3) grown in amended soil and subjected to increased herbivory from caterpillars (Pieris brassicae) and aphids (Brevicoryne brassicae); and 4) planted in conventional soil and subjected to increased pest exposure. Scientists measured plant growth, flowering status, seed production, herbivore abundance, and pollinator activity. After three weeks, the supplemented soil grew […]

(Beyond Pesticides, October 25, 2022) Fungicide use harms soil and jeopardizes crop yields by reducing the prevalence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), according to recent research published in Nature Ecology and Evolution. AMF are important fungi that form symbiotic relationships with plants in both natural and cropland soils, and their presence helps facilitate nutrient uptake, particularly for phosphorus. With global phosphorus supplies dwindling and persistent pollution problems from the nutrient, practices that enhance the presence of AMF in cropland soils will be critical for the future of farming worldwide. Scientists set out to better understand the conditions that promote AMF’s ability to transfer phosphorus (P) to plants by considering climate and soil characteristics, soil type, and agricultural practices. To start, samples were taken from 150 cropland soils and 60 natural grassland soils in various countries throughout Europe. Environmental data and soil samples were collected for each location, as were past management practices for the cropland sites, which generally all grew cereal grains like wheat, oats or barley. To understand the P transfer rates of AMF hyphae, scientists grew the plant Plantago lanceolata in the collected soils in a greenhouse, utilizing the radioisotope 33P in order to achieve a real-time view […]

(Beyond Pesticides, October 28, 2021) A study published in Frontiers in Environmental Science finds the popular herbicide glyphosate negatively affects microbial communities, indirectly influencing plant, animal, and human health. Exposure to sublethal concentrations of glyphosate shifts microbial community composition, destroying beneficial microorganisms while preserving pathogenic organisms. Glyphosate is the most commonly used active ingredient worldwide, appearing in many herbicide formulas, including Bayer’s (formerly Monsanto) Roundup®. The use of this chemical has been increasing since the inception of crops genetically modified to tolerate glyphosate over two decades ago. The toxic herbicide readily contaminates the ecosystem with residues pervasive in both food and water commodities. In addition to this study, the scientific literature commonly associates glyphosate with human, biotic, and ecosystem harm, as a doubling of toxic effects on invertebrates, like pollinators, has been recorded since 2004. The authors caution, “[O]utbreaks of several animal and plant diseases have been related to glyphosate accumulation in the environment. Long-term glyphosate effects have been underreported, and new standards will be needed for residues in plant and animal products and the environment.” With an increasing number of reports on the relationship between glyphosate and human health, including potential effects on the human gut microbiome, advocates are calling on global leaders to eliminate chemical […]

(Beyond Pesticides, October 6, 2021) Agricultural soils under monoculture cropping systems are not as healthy as soils with diverse plantings, finds research recently published in the journal Agrosystems, Geosciences and Environment. Soil and soil quality are declining rapidly in the United States and around the world, with recent data indicating that the U.S. Corn Belt has lost 35% of its topsoil. Advocates say it is critical that the response to this problem focus on practices that conserve and improve the soil health by building organic matter and healthy microbial populations. “Understanding the management practices that lead to healthier soils will allow farmers to grow the same crops while reducing costly chemical inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides) and protecting the environment,” said study coauthor Lori Phillips, PhD. To investigate disparities in soil health between cropping systems, researchers analyzed a long-term cropping system that includes 18 years of continuously grown soy, corn, and perennial grasses. Each cropping system was evaluated for its bacterial and fungal population, as well as a test called CNPS, which measures the enzymes produced by microbes specifically related to the soil’s carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, and sulfur cycles. Researchers indicate that these measurements create “a holistic measure of biological activity,” […]

(Beyond Pesticides, July 16, 2020) Long-term exposure to sublethal (low-level) concentrations of the neonicotinoid in soil negatively affects the health and behavioral development of black garden ants (Lasius niger) colonies, according to a study published in Communications Biology by scientists at the University of Bern, Switzerland. Ants are one of the most biologically significant insects in the soil ecosystem, acting as ecosystem engineers. Their burrowing behavior aerates the soil, allowing oxygen and water to penetrate down to plant roots. Additionally, ants increase soil nutrient levels by importing and accumulating organic material like food and feces, thus enhancing nutrient cycling. Like many other insects, ants are unfortunate victims of the global insect apocalypse or population decline, and much research attributes the recent decline to several, including pesticide exposure. Broad-spectrum pesticides, like neonicotinoids, indiscriminately kill pests and nontarget organisms alike, as their ubiquitous use contaminates soils, even in untreated areas. This study highlights the necessity of rethinking chemical pest management, developing sustainable agricultural practices that reduce the use of agrochemicals, like pesticides, to prevent permanent environmental ecosystem damage. Researchers in the study note, “To prevent irreparable damages to functioning ecosystems, [we] suggest to either fully incorporate long-term effects in risk assessment schemes, or to make a shift […]

Photo: Beyond Pesticides’ board member Chip Osborne and student advocate Bridget Gustafson meet on a University of California organic land management pilot site, supported by Beyond Pesticides. (Beyond Pesticides, January 23, 2020) University of California (UC) President Janet Napolitano recently has approved recommendations made by the UC Herbicide Task Force, a proposal that falls short of systems change that student activists are advocating. New changes will, however, restrict the use of some toxic pesticides and increase transparency across the university’s ten campuses. While the decision represents an important step forward, advocates remain critical of integrated pest management (IPM) policy and support an overall transition to organic land management. The UC Board of Regents will meet today to discuss the decision. President Napolitano will continue the suspension of glyphosate, established last year, until a UC-wide integrated pest management (IPM) policy is implemented and all ten UC campus locations complete individual IPM plans. A system-wide “oversight committee” will guide and authorize school IPM committees. The overarching IPM policy will restrict application of highly toxic pesticides, only permitting use after a local IPM committee has reviewed and approved its specific use application following an IPM-based assessment. Other synthetic pesticides will be subject to […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 29, 2019) A soil health monitoring study in England finds that an alarming 42% of surveyed fields are deficient in a wriggly measurement—earthworm populations. Over half the farmers recruited in this citizen science evaluation said they planned to change their soil management practices as a result of the earthworm monitoring results. The #60minworms method, named for the time it takes to conduct, is to dig a soil pit and place the soil onto a mat, then sort out the earthworms into a bucket. After sorting, the total number of earthworms is counted, and juveniles are returned to the soil. Adults are sorted and recorded by type using a simple key (surface worms: epigeic—small and red, anecic—pale or green; deep-burrowing worms: endogeic—heavily pigmented and large). This is repeated ten times using a W-style sampling pattern across a field. Jacqueline Stroud, PhD, the study author and soil scientist, developed survey booklets to distribute to volunteer farmers. Recruitment methods included events, workshops, and Twitter. Farmers conducted tests on their own private land during a 6-week window in 2018. They recorded their results in the given booklets and sent the information for analysis. A total of 126 fields were surveyed. Worm data […]