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. 2026 Feb 23;17:1751932. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1751932

Table 2.

The effects of various pesticides on the physiology and metabolism of plants.

Crop plant Pesticide name and treatment details in brief Effects on plants References
Vitis vinifera L. × Vitis labrusca L. (Grapevine) Acetochlor, Soil, 22,460 g a.i. ha−1, 30 days Increase in superoxide radicals (O2·-) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels; Decrease in ascorbate peroxidase (APOX), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in leaves (upper node) Tan et al. (2012)
Brassica napus L. (Rapeseed) Napropamide, Seedling, 8 mg L−1, 5 days Increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in leaves Cui et al. (2010)
Pennisetum americanum L. Atrazine, Soil, 10 mg kg−1, 38 days Increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) in shoot and root Jiang et al. (2016)
Lactuca sativa L. (Lettuce) Alachlor, Hoagland medium, 2 μM, 24 days Increase in catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD); Decrease in peroxidase (POD) in leaves Štajner et al. (2003)
Lactuca sativa L. (Lettuce) Imidacloprid and Fenvalerate, 10 mg/L Under Imidacloprid treatment: decreased iron, arginine, cysteine, homoserine, 4-hydroxyisoleucine, proline, and total amino acids. Under Fenvalerate treatment: increased iron content, reduced flavonoid and vitamin C levels. Zhang et al. (2022b)
Brassica juncea L. (Indian mustard/Chinese mustard) Imidacloprid, Soil, 300 mg kg−1, 80 days Increase in ascorbate peroxidase (APOX), guaiacol peroxidase (GPOX), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and peroxidase (POD) in green pods Sharma et al. (2016)
Oryza sativa L. (Rice) Imidacloprid, Sand, 0.01%, 12 days Increase in ascorbate peroxidase (APOX), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), glutathione reductase (GR), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), and superoxide dismutase (SOD); Decrease in catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) in seedlings. Sharma et al. (2013)
Oryza sativa L. (Rice) Diuron, 0.125 mg/L, 0.25 mg/L, 0.5 mg/L, 1.0 mg/L, 2.0 mg/L Decreased elongation, biomass, and chlorophyll; Increased malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), glutathione reductase (GR), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), ascorbic acid peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), and jasmonic acid (JA); Glutathione (GSH) increased then decreased Wang et al. (2022)
Vigna radiata L. (Mungbean) Chlorpyrifos Enhanced rate of proline content and lipid peroxidation; significantly declined glutathione level Parween et al. (2018)
Triticum aestivum L. (Wheat) Imidacloprid, 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg Decreased jasmonic acid in root and leaf, decreased indole acetic acid in root and leaf, increased abscisic acid in root and leaf, decreased ferulic acid Li et al. (2023)
Zea mays L. (Maize) Metolachlor, 0.5 mg/L, 1.0 mg/L, 2.0 mg/L, 4.0 mg/L, 8.0 mg/L Increased malondialdehyde (MDA), ascorbic acid peroxidase (APX), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and catalase (CAT); Decreased germination, biomass production, and vigor index; Decreased ethyl carbamate50; MDA increased by 26.0 and 48.9% at 1.0 and 2.0 mg/L, respectively Panfili et al. (2019)
Trifolium pratense L., Lotus corniculatus L., Trifolium repens L., Cichorium intybus L. Glyphosate, 1,440 g a.i./ha Decreased cumulative number of Trifolium pratense L. flowers and Lotus corniculatus L. flowers; Increased cumulative number of Trifolium repens L. flowers Strandberg et al. (2021)
Glycine max L. Merr. (Soybean) Deltamethrin, Spray, 0.20%, 10 days Increase in ascorbate peroxidase (APOX), glutathione reductase (GR), and superoxide dismutase (SOD); Decrease in catalase (CAT) in leaves Bashir et al. (2007)
Elodea canadensis Michx. (Canadian waterweed), Eleocharis acicularis L. (Needle spikerush), Mentha aquatica L. (Water mint) Chlorpyrifos, 50 μg/dm3, 100 μg/dm3, 150 μg/dm3 Increased glutathione peroxidase activity; decreased glutathione S-transferase, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotene contents Sobiecka et al. (2022a, 2022b)
Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) Dichlorprop, 0.1 μM, 0.2 μM, 0.3 μM Reduced plant growth; increased H₂O₂, jasmonic acid, and salicylic acid levels; abscisic acid decreased initially and then increased at higher concentrations Chen et al. (2021)

a.i./ha, active ingredient per hectare.