The value of insects in sustainable agricultural practices is increasingly acknowledged, the more we discover the dramatic decline of insect biodiversity in recent years. Global change factors, including the increasing use of agrochemicals has been identified to be the main drivers reducing insect biodiversity in agricultural systems. Globally, each year herbicides are exponentially used and chemical residue pollution has been recorded across diverse habitats. Residues of the most commonly used herbicide, glyphosate, persist in soil over decades, but the effects on non-target plants and potential cascading effect along the food-chain are unknown. We will uncover how residues of the most widely used herbicide affect metabolite biosynthesis of important crop plants and cascading effects on interactions with pest insects and biological pest control up to changes in insect biodiversity, with the goal to find smart and sustainable alternatives to the exacerbated use of pesticides.

2023

2027