Pesticides Toxicity, Removal and Detoxification in Plants: A Review

Abstract

Pesticides play a crucial role in agricultural production by preventing diseases and pests and ensuring food yield. However, the irrational use of pesticides can lead to numerous issues that compromise crop quality and counteract the original intentions of their application. Therefore, it is necessary to identify more effective methods to counteract pesticide stress. Here we review the impacts of herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides on plants and the measures taken to reduce pesticide residues on plants. We have found that despite the substantial differences in the mechanisms of action of the aforementioned three types of pesticides, the adverse effects they inflict on plants are similar, and at certain dosages, they can severely constrain plant growth and disrupt physiological functions. Also, most current research on using exogenous growth regulators to alleviate pesticide stress still focuses on photosynthesis, the antioxidant system, three-stage detoxification, and secondary metabolites, neglecting the search for genes that respond to pesticide stress. We believe that by combining biological protection with post-harvest treatment techniques and exploring potential genes that are responsive to pesticide stress, a better strategy for dealing with pesticide stress can be found, thereby promoting sustainable agricultural development.