Journal of Energy Bioscience 2025, Vol.16, No.3, 128-138 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/jeb 133 4.2 Successful cases of integrated pest and disease management to reduce the use of chemical pesticides In agriculturally developed countries such as the Netherlands, microbial agents and biological control technologies have been introduced into potato planting systems. After microbial intervention, CO2 emissions were reduced by 60% and the use of active pesticides decreased by 6.6% (Figure 2). Although the cost of microbial agents is currently high and not yet fully economically feasible, they are very useful in reducing environmental pollution and improving ecological health (Tensi et al., 2024). Figure 2 Assessing the sustainability impact of microbial applications in dutch potato farming (Adapted from Tensi et al., 2024) Combining the use of biological control and disease-resistant varieties, by introducing or protecting beneficial insects and microorganisms in the field, pests can be effectively controlled and dependence on chemical pesticides can be reduced. At the same time, planting insect-resistant and disease-resistant varieties can effectively reduce the incidence of pests and diseases and improve crop health. 4.3 Cases of precision agriculture and organic fertilizer application to improve efficiency and sustainability A study involving 546 potato farmers in Shandong Province, China found that the continuous use of organic fertilizers can significantly improve production efficiency, labor productivity and land output. Compared with farmland without organic fertilizer, farmland using organic fertilizers has significantly improved unit net profit, yield and input-output ratio. Appropriate scale operation can further improve production efficiency, while the continuous use of organic fertilizers can reduce input waste and environmental risks (Zhang et al., 2024a). The introduction of precision agriculture allows farmers to optimize the use ratio of organic fertilizers and chemical fertilizers through scientific soil nutrient and crop demand monitoring. The continued use of organic fertilizers not only improves soil fertility and crop yields, but also promotes microbial diversity, improves soil structure, and reduces the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides. 5 Challenges in Adopting Sustainable Practices 5.1 Economic barriers Many sustainable practices, such as drip irrigation systems, organic fertilizer alternatives, and precision agriculture technologies, require high initial investments and have long payback periods. This problem is exacerbated without government subsidies and financial support. Farmers are often reluctant to try these new technologies due to the high cost of equipment, technology, and training (Yadav et al., 2020; Debnath et al., 2024; Indriastuty et al., 2024).
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