Evolution of chemical methods of plant protection from pests in Russian humid subtropics and the problem of ecological safety

Research of plant protection in Russian humid subtropics was initiated in the late 19th century. In climatic conditions of the region the majority of plant pests and diseases can develop almost all year round. The use of pesticides of the first generation has led to significant environmental pollution. In our studies, there are three interrelated focus approaches: formation of optimized pesticides range, which are characterized by high efficiency combined with low consumption norms; use of phytoactivators with an eliciting effect in order to increase fruit crops nonspecific immunity to pathogens; assessment of the ecotoxicological effects from pesticides on natural protection mechanisms of soil microbiota to evaluate permissible pesticide load, corresponding to the adaptive capabilities of soil biotic components. The article shows that the modern pesticides with low application rate and low toxicity are the environmentally safe preparations used for fruit crops protection. These include oxadiazines, pyrethroids, anthranilamides, neonicotinoids, avermectins and regulators of insect growth and development. Synthetic sex pheromones are essential in protecting fruit crops. Their use is recommended not only for phytosanitary monitoring and signaling deadlines of chemical treatments, but also with the aim to create a «male vacuum» and disorient Grapholita molesta moths. Some original methods of assessing ecotoxicological effects from pesticides were proposed, considering the state of the natural defense mechanisms in soil microbiota. Negative effect from pesticides can be significantly reduced in their joint application with immunomodulators (Albite, Immunocytophite, Agropon). A new research direction is being developed, which is related to elicitor effect of the above mentioned adaptogens. Including chemicals into fruit crops protection system (considering the represented approaches) will not only reduce the pesticide load on agrocenosis, but also increase its resistance to pathogens and xenobiotics as a result of activation of defense mechanisms.