Beyond Dosage: The Need for More Realistic Research Scenarios to Understand Pesticide Impacts on Agricultural Soils

Summary

Pesticides play a crucial role in modern agriculture, yet they pose considerable risks to soil health and ecosystem integrity. Current risk assessment research often relies on simplified models, focusing on single substances under standardized conditions and failing to reflect realistic exposure scenarios. We call for a paradigm shift toward incorporating agroecological research that evaluates pesticide effects under more complex and dynamic conditions, including mixtures, application frequency, diverse soil properties, and interactions with other environmental stressors. Additionally, multiseasonal exposure and long-term persistence of pesticides in soils must be considered. By integrating these multidimensional factors, such experimental research can yield valuable insights that improve