Publication details
Effects of realistic pesticide mixtures on wheat (Triticum aestivum) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa)
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Peer-reviewed scientific article |
| Magazine / Source | Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | https://academic.oup.com/etc/advance-article/doi/10.1093/etojnl/vgag173/8716320 |
| Doi | https://doi.org/10.1093/etojnl/vgag173 |
| Keywords | nontarget terrestrial plants; plant protection products; soil ecotoxicology; predicted environmental concentration |
| Attached files | |
| Description | The application of pesticides often results in exposure and risks to nontarget organisms. Among these organisms are nontarget terrestrial plants, which are essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems. Despite the rigorous risk assessment process for approving pesticides used in Europe and many developed countries, the impacts of environmentally realistic mixtures remain insufficiently understood. This study evaluated the effects of 11 realistic mixtures on two plant species. Each mixture comprised five pesticides selected by their estimated risk to terrestrial plants (from regulatory reports) and their frequency of detection in agricultural soils across 10 European countries and Argentina. Two standardized assays were conducted with wheat (Triticum aestivum) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa): A root growth inhibition test (International Organization for Standardization 11269-1) and a seedling emergence and growth test (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Test Guideline 208). Three concentrations were used: Median measured environmental concentration, predicted environmental concentration, and 5-times the predicted environmental concentration. Significant effects were observed for 10 of the 11 mixtures, and these were species and endpoint specific, likely reflecting variation in mixture composition and herbicide modes of action. Root growth was more sensitive than seedling emergence and shoot biomass. Considering the median measured and predicted environmental concentration treatments, root growth was affected in nine mixtures for both species, while emergence and biomass were affected in five and seven mixtures, respectively. These results indicate that realistic combinations of pesticide residues can cause deleterious effects on terrestrial plants even at concentrations below predicted environmental thresholds, where no adverse impact would ordinarily be expected. Given that current European risk assessments emphasize spray drift and single-compound exposures, consideration of mixture effects is crucial for adequately evaluating risks to nontarget terrestrial plants. |
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