Design and Synthesis of Green Pesticides: Paving the Way for Sustainable Modern Agriculture

As modern agriculture faces the dual challenges of ensuring global food security and protecting ecological integrity, the limitations of traditional pesticides have become more evident. Persistent issues like soil contamination, water pollution, and toxicity to non-target organisms not only threaten the long-term health of agricultural ecosystems but also compromise human food safety. This makes the development of green pesticides a crucial priority. While conventional pesticides remain essential for pest and disease management, their overuse and improper application have caused serious ecological harm. According to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) data, about 30% of pesticide use falls below the effective level, resulting in resource waste and increased environmental impact. In response, green pesticides aim to address these problems by redefining pesticide research and development, focusing on "targeted action" through precise molecular design instead of solely "killing efficacy," enhancing biological activity through molecular optimization rather than high-dose applications, and considering environmental degradability and safety for non-target organisms as core evaluation criteria rather than neglecting ecological effects. The thematic issue "Design and Synthesis of Green Pesticides" serves as a timely effort to gather advanced research in this area, facilitate knowledge exchange to promote green pesticide innovation and application, and showcase technological breakthroughs stemming from this new approach, thus providing the industry with a comprehensive view from "problem recognition" to "solution development." It also provides a comprehensive summary of current green pesticide achievements and a foundation for future research, aiming to encourage collaboration among researchers, enterprises, and policymakers to advance green pesticides from an "optional technology" to a "standard practice," thereby providing new momentum for sustainable modern agriculture and fostering a harmonious balance between agricultural production and ecological protection.