All Pesticides articles
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NewsMaterial extends shelf life and prolongs release of fungus used as bioinsecticide
Encapsulating Beauveria bassiana in a biopolymer made of cellulose and aluminum increased the viability of the fungus from 69% to 85% after five months of storage, providing a more sustainable alternative that releases the bioinsecticide.
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NewsMolecular net boosts the power of natural biopesticides
Scientists have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism that helps a widely used biological pesticide become more effective. The study reveals how bacteria produce ultra-strong protein fibers that form a molecular net, trapping infectious spores and toxins into a sticky film that enhances their ability to kill insect pests.
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NewsBiodegradable sensors attached to plants detect pesticides in three minutes
Researchershave created biodegradable, “wearable” sensors for plants to monitor their health, made from carbon ink and screen-printed onto transparent cellulose acetate bioplastics. They can monitor temperature, humidity, dehydration, biomarkers, diseases, nutrient levels, and the presence of pesticides.
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NewsSwansea spin-out Bionema Group receives second King’s Award for Enterprise
Bionema Group Ltd, a Swansea University spin-out specialising in biological crop protection and sustainable agriculture, has been awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development 2026. It highlights Bionema’s contribution to developing environmentally sustainable alternatives to synthetic pesticides.
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NewsHow soil bacteria help plants defend themselves against disease
A study reveals the mechanism by which surfactin, a molecule produced by beneficial soil bacteria, activates plants’ immune defences. This mechanism, distinct from the classical paradigm of immune recognition, relies on direct interaction with the plant cell membrane.
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NewsAncient, insect-targeting bacterial toxin may have implications for human health, agriculture, and drug discovery
Scientists have identified and characterized a new class of Streptomyces-produced toxins that are very distantly related to the deadly toxin that causes diphtheria, a serious and contagious infection, in humans.
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NewsPesticides significantly affect soil life and biodiversity
Seventy per cent of soils in Europe are contaminated with pesticides. A Europe-wide study shows that their effects on soil life are substantial, as pesticides suppress various beneficial soil organisms. To protect soil biodiversity, the findings should be taken into account in current pesticide regulations.
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NewsNature’s 10: Ten people who shaped science in 2025
Microbiologists and scientists tackling infectious diseases are among Nature’s annual list of ten people at the heart of some of the biggest science stories of 2025.
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NewsPesticides and other common chemical pollutants are toxic to our ‘good’ gut bacteria
A large-scale laboratory screening of human-made chemicals has identified 168 chemicals that are toxic to bacteria found in the healthy human gut. These chemicals stifle the growth of gut bacteria thought to be vital for health.
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NewsNew super pest combines broad spectrum of microbes
Researchers investigating what role the reed leafhopper’s microbial flora might have played in its rapid spread as a pest found it hosts at least seven species of bacteria and appears to be completely dependent on three of these species, which inhabit specific organs.
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NewsScientists develop floral-scented fungus that lures mosquitoes to their doom
Taking advantage of the mosquito’s natural attraction to flowers, an international team of researchers engineered a new strain of Metarhizium fungus that imitates a flower’s sweet scent and lures the bloodsucking bugs to their deaths.
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NewsStructural diversity of pyripyropenes via biosynthetic gene cluster design and heterologous expression in Aspergillus nidulans
Researchers have designed a reconstituted biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) for producing structurally diversified deacetylated pyripyropenes, using the native pyripyropene A BGC from the wild-type strain Aspergillus fumigatus Af 293 as a template.
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NewsSlime mold metabolites are a promising, eco-friendly repellent of root-knot nematodes
A team of researchers has discovered 14 compounds secreted by slime molds that repel root-knot nematodes (RKNs) - worm-like parasites of the genus Meloidogyne - and could be the source of new, non-toxic anti-RKN pesticides.
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News Bioinsecticide start-up BugBiome focuses on lead product development with move to Norwich Research Park
BugBiome, the agri-tech innovator developing new bioinsecticides from crop-associated microbes, has relocated to Norwich Research Park as it focuses on moving its lead aphicide into field trials in 2026.
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NewsAtom-precise agriculture: The future of eco-friendly crop protection
Researchers have created a novel single-atom copper pesticide that addresses the critical limitations of traditional copper-based pesticides, acting against the rice pathogen Pantoea ananatis.
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CareersMeet the Global Ambassadors: our Q&A with Durgesh Kumar Jaiswal
The Microbiologist gets to know our Global Ambassador for India, Dr. Durgesh Kumar Jaiswal, who is Assistant Professor at the Department of Biosciences, Graphic Era University, Dehradun, specializing in microbial biotechnology and sustainable agriculture.
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NewsDual lifestyle plant fungus turns ally, protecting cereal crops against harmful Fusarium infections
A plant-friendly fungus that colonises cereal crops can protect the plants against harmful fungal infestations, a new study reveals.
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NewsBeetles under climate stress lay larger male eggs: Wolbachia infection drives adaptive reproduction strategy
Researchers find that azuki bean beetles, a common pest, produce larger eggs yielding male offspring when infected with Wolbachia bacteria under elevated temperature and carbon dioxide conditions.
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NewsMediterranean bacteria may harbor new mosquito solution
Researchers recently identified bacteria in Crete producing metabolites that quickly kill mosquito larvae in lab tests. The compounds might be useful for the development of new biopesticides, though developing the right formulations and delivery method remains a challenge.
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News BugBiome to test lead bioinsecticide in sugar beet field trials with partner Niab
BugBiome, an agritech innovator developing new bioinsecticides from crop-associated microbes, is field testing its lead product against aphids via a new Innovate UK grant with partner Niab, an experienced crop trial specialist.