Reducing the use of agrochemicals with natural extracts can improve the quality of the environment and the life of beneficial organisms

Introduction. It is known how much agro-pharmaceuticals have brought enormous benefits to the entire population. Ideally, a pesticide should be lethal to targeted pests but not non-target species. Unfortunately, the reckless use of these substances, the lack of knowledge of the interactions, and the synergistic effect between the chemicals present in the environment have caused unacceptable pollution levels, sometimes not compatible with living beings' lives. Therefore, it is necessary to reverse the course by using those organic substances produced by natural organisms such as plants, bacteria, and fungi that must always defend themselves from pathogens. To reach this goal, we studied the insecticidal activity of extracts of Solanum nigrum, a spontaneous plant belonging to the genus Solanaceae, the bactericidal activity of Cyperus esculentus, a perennial weed of the sedge family and Cornus capitata, a species belonging to the Cornaceae family. Toxicity tests were carried out by using a Microtox System. Methods. Extracts obtained from green berries (Solanum nigrum L.), barks and leaves (Cornus capitata Wall.), and Nuts (Cyperus esculentus L.) were characterised using UltiMate 3000 Standard LC system and Orbitrap Q-Exactive Plus mass spectrometer, tested on target insects (Tenebrio molitor and Drosophila melanogaster) and on bacteria to verify their activity. Results. Solanaceae plants’ extracts cause Drosophila significant effects on the development and reproduction of parent organisms. Tenebrio molitor causes a decrease in the frequency of cardiac contractions producing cardiac arrests. All plant extracts showed high antibacterial activity but no environmental toxicity. Conclusions In the final version. The results obtained bode well for the possibility of using natural products instead of synthetic substances to ensure a better quality of our life.