10
Dec
Widely Used Insecticide Imidacloprid Negatively Impacts Soil Communities, Study Finds
(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 […]
