Bioremediation of Agricultural Soils Polluted with Pesticides: a review

Table 4. 
Classification of the most common herbicides used in agricultural soil. 
Name 
Pesticide Class 
Chemical Structure 
Mode of Action 
Glyphosate Organophosphate 
Disruption of shikimic acid pathway 
through inhibition of the enzyme 5-enolpy-
ruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase. 
Atrazine Organochlorine 
Inhibition of the photosynthetic pathway, 
specifically the photosystem II. 
2,4-D Organochlorine 
Imitation of plant growth hormone auxin 
and uncontrolled cell division in vascular 
tissue, leading to uncontrolled growth and 
eventually death of plants. 
Dicamba Organochlorine 
Imitation of plant growth hormone auxin 
and uncontrolled cell division in vascular 
tissue, leading to uncontrolled growth and 
eventually death of plants. 
Trifluralin Organophosphate 
Inhibition of cell mitosis, acting on the meri-
stems and tissues of underground organs. 
Metolachlor Organochlorine 
Inhibition of elongases and the geranylgera-
nyl pyrophosphate cyclases, important in 
the synthesis of long-chain fatty acids. 
Cyanazine Organochlorine 
Inhibition of the photosynthetic pathway, 
specifically the photosystem II. 
2.2.3. Rodenticides 
Rodenticides act to kill rodents, such as rats, mice, squirrels, and nutria; all these ro-
dents can cause damage to crop, transmit disease, and cause ecological damage. Rodent 
infestations arise in a wide variety of situations: in agriculture soils, inside and around 
buildings, in sewers, in waste dumps, and/or in open areas. 
Inhibition of cell mitosis, acting on
the meristems and tissues of
underground organs.
Metolachlor
Organochlorine
Bioengineering 
2021
, 
8
, x FOR PEER REVIEW 
9 of 29 
The modes of action depend on the chemical composition, and usually, they involve 
a plant enzyme or a biological system. In this way, the regular plant growth and develop-
ments are injured or disrupted, causing eventual plant death [51]. In Table 4, different 
herbicides used in agriculture soil are reported.