Field Crop 2025, Vol.8, No.5, 222-230 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/fc 226 5.2 Biological control: use of parasitoids, predators, and bioherbicides When it comes to the prevention and control of pests, diseases and weeds, it is not necessary to rely on "killing". Biological control has become increasingly popular in recent years. For instance, fermented nettle liquid and plant mulch (like wheat straw) are used to control weeds. These methods not only do no harm to lentils but also can play a "substitute" role when pesticides are limited (Rhioui et al., 2024). In terms of pests and diseases, biological pesticides and fertilizers such as trichoderma and neem extract have also performed well. They not only reduce diseases but in some experiments, the incidence of diseases has even decreased by more than 90%. Although the effect is not as "rapid", it has the advantages of being environmentally friendly and stable. It can also be used in conjunction with other measures and has a strong ability to fill in the gap. 5.3 Chemical control: pre- and post-emergence herbicides and selective insecticides, with resistance management It is indeed difficult to grow lentils in the fields without relying on some chemical methods. Pre-emergence herbicides such as dimethyl pentoxide, imidazolicotinic acid, and oxyfluoxane are often used in combination with manual or mechanical weeding and can suppress most weeds (Kaur and Bhullar, 2015; Kalita and Chakrabarty, 2019). However, nowadays, "moderation" is emphasized. Some practices attempt to reduce the dosage of herbicides, combined with mechanical weeding and close planting. The results show that the control effect is similar to that of full-dose herbicides and can also reduce the risk of drug resistance (Kumar et al., 2001). In terms of pests, such as aphids and pod borers, selective insecticides are still necessary. However, it is recommended to alternate their use and not always use one type, otherwise resistance problems will arise sooner or later. In conclusion, chemical methods are not impossible to use, but if they are relied upon alone and used too frequently, environmental problems and drug resistance will eventually come to the door. Therefore, it is best to combine them with other strategies. 6 Technological Advancements for Integrated Weed and Pest Management (IWPM) in Lentils 6.1 Remote sensing and gis tools for weed and pest population mapping In the past, farmers relied on experience to determine where there were insects or grass in the fields, but now it's quite different. When a drone flies around and uses infrared or multispectral imaging, the distribution of weeds and the density of pests can be clearly seen at a glance. These remote sensing tools allow people not to "go down to the ground and copy the equipment", but to target key points precisely, which is much more accurate (Zhong and Zhong, 2024). Combined with a GIS system, once spatial information is integrated, it can be seen from a single map which plot of land is the most suitable to be acquired and when (Esposito et al., 2021). Of course, not every field can be equipped with these devices. Cost and operational difficulty also need to be taken into account. However, the trend is obvious-they are being used more widely and more precisely. 6.2 AI-based decision support systems for timely interventions What should I do if there is too much information and my brain can't digest it? This is when AI comes in handy. Some systems can automatically collect remote sensing images, field sensor data, and historical records of pests and diseases, and then use algorithms to analyze when weeds will break out and when pests are more likely to occur. To put it bluntly, it's to tell you in advance: "Be careful these days" and "Take care of this area for now." These intelligent decision-making tools may not be 100% accurate, but at least they can help control the pace when planting on a large scale, so as not to react only when problems become serious. 6.3 Development of pest- and herbicide-resistant lentil cultivars through molecular breeding Chemical agents are ultimately just external aid. The key lies in making efforts on the varieties themselves. Molecular breeding technology is now developing rapidly. Scientists have begun to look for resistance genes from wild lentils or mutant strains, and introduce these traits into commercial varieties through QTL mapping, molecular markers or direct gene editing (Figure 2) (Roy et al., 2023; Chen, 2024). It sounds easy, but it will still take some time for it to be truly launched on the market. However, this approach can indeed reduce the reliance on pesticides, especially in regions with tight resources or high sustainability pressure, which is of great significance. Although it cannot be achieved overnight, the future lentils might indeed be able to "come with their own defense".
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