{"type": "FeatureCollection", "features": [{"id": "10.1007/s13165-020-00330-2", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-25T16:15:04Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2020-10-07", "title": "Current use of copper, mineral oils and sulphur for plant protection in organic horticultural crops across 10 European countries", "description": "The use of several plant protection inputs of mineral origin, such as copper, sulphur or mineral oils is seen as contentious by many consumers and stakeholders within the organic sector. Although the use of these inputs is legal in organic systems and also applied in non-organic agriculture, their use by organic growers raises questions for organic practice, which aspires to be free from toxic, non-renewable chemicals. Data on the current use of permitted plant protection inputs is currently scarce, especially in horticulture where chemical inputs deserve special attention since horticultural products are often readily edible. A mapping of the use of copper, sulphur and mineral oils was conducted by collecting expert knowledge across 10 European countries during May\u2013October 2018, i.e. before the limitation of copper use to 4\u00a0kg\u00a0ha\u22121\u00a0year\u22121 from February 1, 2019. Results show that copper is widely used by Mediterranean organic growers in citrus, olive, tomato and potato production. The annual limit of 6\u00a0kg\u00a0ha\u22121\u00a0year\u22121 was not always respected. We also found that tomato producers apply high amounts of copper in winter crops in greenhouses. Mineral oils are applied to control scales, mites and whiteflies. Sulphur is also commonly used by organic vegetable growers, especially in greenhouses. We conclude that the high usage found in various different crops (especially Mediterranean crops) confirms the need for researching alternatives.", "keywords": ["[SDV.SA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences", "0106 biological sciences", "0301 basic medicine", "2. Zero hunger", "plant protection", "571", "Crop health", " quality", " protection", "Mediterranean crops", "Greenhouse crops", "tomato", "15. Life on land", "01 natural sciences", "[SDV.BV.PEP]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Vegetal Biology/Phytopathology and phytopharmacy", "Organic-PLUSX", "03 medical and health sciences", "13. Climate action", "Contentious inputs", "Vegetables", "FiBL60073", "Mediterranean crops", " Greenhouse crops", " Tomato", " Contentious inputs", " plant protection", "Abacus"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://www.iris.unict.it/bitstream/20.500.11769/494877/1/Katsoulas2020_Article_CurrentUseOfCopperMineralOilsA%20%282%29.pdf"}, {"href": "https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s13165-020-00330-2.pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-020-00330-2"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Organic%20Agriculture", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1007/s13165-020-00330-2", "name": "item", "description": "10.1007/s13165-020-00330-2", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1007/s13165-020-00330-2"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2020-10-07T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138291", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-25T16:16:30Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2025-04-14", "title": "Occurrence, persistence and risk assessment of pesticide residues in European wheat fields: A continental scale approach", "description": "Pesticide residues in agricultural soils represent an environmental concern that requires special attention due to their potential ecological and public health risks. We analyzed 614 pesticides in 188 wheat fields across Europe subjected to both conventional and organic farming systems. At least one pesticide residue was detected in 141 soils. Seventy-eight pesticides or their metabolites were detected. The presence of pesticides was significantly higher in both number and concentration in conventional fileds (up to 0.98\u202fmg\u202fkg-1) compared to organically managed sites (up to 0.40\u202fmg\u202fkg-1). A total of 88\u202f% of conventional fields and 63\u202f% of organic fields contained two or more pesticides. Conversion from conventional to organic farming does not guarantee that soils will be pesticide-free in the short term. Fenbutatin oxide was the most frequently detected pesticide in both farming systems, followed by AMPA. Other substances, such as boscalid, epoxiconazole, diflufenican, tebuconazole, dinoterb, bixafen, and DEET, were found in \u2265\u202f10\u202f% of samples. Some Persistent Organic Pollutants, including dieldrin, endosulfan sulphate, and chlorpyrifos, were also detected. Ecological risks were higher in conventionally managed fields, with 46\u202f% exhibiting high-risk levels, compared to just 1\u202f% in organic fields. Epoxiconazole and boscalid were the substances with the highest risk levels.", "keywords": ["Emerging contaminants", "2417 Biolog\u00eda Vegetal (Bot\u00e1nica)", "Agricultural soils", "Plant protection products (PPPs)", "3101 Agroqu\u00edmica", "Pesticide mixture", "Ecological risk assessment"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138291"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Journal%20of%20Hazardous%20Materials", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138291", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138291", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138291"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2025-01-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1111/1365-2664.14437", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-25T16:18:30Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2023-06-08", "title": "Pesticide effects on soil fauna communities\u2014A meta\u2010analysis", "description": "Abstract

Soil invertebrate communities represent a significant fraction of global biodiversity and play crucial roles in ecosystems. A number of human activities threaten soil communities, in particular intensive agricultural practices such as pesticide use. However, there is currently no quantitative synthesis of the impacts of pesticides on soil fauna communities.

Here, using a meta\uffe2\uff80\uff90analysis of 54 studies and 294 observations, we quantify pesticide effects on the abundance, biomass, richness and diversity of natural soil fauna communities across a wide range of environmental contexts. We also identify scenarios with the most detrimental effects on soil fauna communities by analysing the effects of different pesticides (herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, broad\uffe2\uff80\uff90spectrum substances and multiple substances), different application rates and temporal extents (short\uffe2\uff80\uff90 or long\uffe2\uff80\uff90term), as well as the response of different functional groups of soil animals (body size categories, presence of exoskeleton).

Pesticides overall decreased the abundance and diversity of soil fauna communities across studies (Grand mean effect size (Hedge's g)\uffe2\uff80\uff89=\uffe2\uff80\uff89\uffe2\uff88\uff920.30\uffe2\uff80\uff89+/\uffe2\uff88\uff92\uffe2\uff80\uff890.16) and had stronger effects on soil fauna diversity than abundance. The most detrimental scenarios involved multiple substances, broad\uffe2\uff80\uff90spectrum substances and insecticides, which significantly decreased soil fauna diversity even at recommended rates. We found no evidence that pesticide effects dampen over time, as short\uffe2\uff80\uff90term and long\uffe2\uff80\uff90term studies exhibited similar mean effect sizes.

Policy implications: Our study highlights that pesticide use has significant detrimental non\uffe2\uff80\uff90target effects on soil biodiversity, eroding a substantial part of global biodiversity and threatening ecosystem health. This provides crucial evidence supporting recent policies, such as the European Green Deal, that aim to reduce pesticide use in agriculture to conserve biodiversity. The detrimental effects of multiple substances revealed here are particularly concerning because realistic pesticide use often combines several substances targeting different pests and diseases over the crop season. We suggest that future guidelines for pesticide registration, restrictions and banning should rely on data able to fully capture the long\uffe2\uff80\uff90term consequences of multiple substances for multiple non\uffe2\uff80\uff90target species in realistic conditions.

Soil invertebrate communities represent a significant fraction of global biodiversity and play crucial roles in ecosystems. A number of human activities threaten soil communities, in particular intensive agricultural practices such as pesticide use. However, there is currently no quantitative synthesis of the impacts of pesticides on soil fauna communities.

Here, using a meta\uffe2\uff80\uff90analysis of 54 studies and 294 observations, we quantify pesticide effects on the abundance, biomass, richness and diversity of natural soil fauna communities across a wide range of environmental contexts. We also identify scenarios with the most detrimental effects on soil fauna communities by analysing the effects of different pesticides (herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, broad\uffe2\uff80\uff90spectrum substances and multiple substances), different application rates and temporal extents (short\uffe2\uff80\uff90 or long\uffe2\uff80\uff90term), as well as the response of different functional groups of soil animals (body size categories, presence of exoskeleton).

Pesticides overall decreased the abundance and diversity of soil fauna communities across studies (Grand mean effect size (Hedge's g)\uffe2\uff80\uff89=\uffe2\uff80\uff89\uffe2\uff88\uff920.30\uffe2\uff80\uff89+/\uffe2\uff88\uff92\uffe2\uff80\uff890.16) and had stronger effects on soil fauna diversity than abundance. The most detrimental scenarios involved multiple substances, broad\uffe2\uff80\uff90spectrum substances and insecticides, which significantly decreased soil fauna diversity even at recommended rates. We found no evidence that pesticide effects dampen over time, as short\uffe2\uff80\uff90term and long\uffe2\uff80\uff90term studies exhibited similar mean effect sizes.

Policy implications: Our study highlights that pesticide use has significant detrimental non\uffe2\uff80\uff90target effects on soil biodiversity, eroding a substantial part of global biodiversity and threatening ecosystem health. This provides crucial evidence supporting recent policies, such as the European Green Deal, that aim to reduce pesticide use in agriculture to conserve biodiversity. The detrimental effects of multiple substances revealed here are particularly concerning because realistic pesticide use often combines several substances targeting different pests and diseases over the crop season. We suggest that future guidelines for pesticide registration, restrictions and banning should rely on data able to fully capture the long\uffe2\uff80\uff90term consequences of multiple substances for multiple non\uffe2\uff80\uff90target species in realistic conditions.