In the future, a cropping system that guarantees food security by delivering high yields and, simultaneously, protects our environment is desperately needed. This can be achieved through a cropping system that waives chemical synthetic plant protection products, which endanger, for example, biodiversity and water resources. However, such a system, referred to here as the mineral-ecological cropping system (MECS), should still allow for the usage of mineral fertilizers to ensure high yields. It can be thought of as a compromise between the current conventional and organic cropping systems. This article presents a comprehensive literature review on the economic, social, and environmental effects of pesticides and the resulting reasons farmers have to use (or not use) them. Hereby, regarding future pesticide reduction, we identify hindrances and potential benefits that could be mobilized to design the MECS. The major points are the following: in a MECS, (1) it is expected that yields and temporal stability of yields will be higher than in organic farming, but lower than in conventional farming; (2) profitability might suffer due to high input costs and energy consumption; (3) it is expected that soil fertility and biodiversity protection will increase along with the promotion of alternative disease and pest control measures; (4) crop rotations will be wider and more diverse than in conventional farming; (5) mineral fertilizer cannot be optimally used by the crops unless a balanced supply of nitrogen is achieved. Farmers who want to switch to MECS should be compensated as they are likely to experience higher costs and lower yield and yield stability. The lessons learned from this review will help to progress toward an innovative and sustainable cropping system. Further research should focus on rational farmers’ adaptation possibilities when abandoning pesticides while still using mineral fertilizers.

未来，迫切需要一种通过提供高产来保证粮食安全，同时保护我们的环境的种植系统。这可以通过放弃化学合成植物保护产品的种植系统来实现，这些产品会危及生物多样性和水资源等。然而，这种系统，在此称为矿物生态种植系统 (MECS)，仍应允许使用矿物肥料以确保高产。它可以被认为是当前传统和有机种植系统之间的折衷方案。本文对农药的经济、社会和环境影响以及农民不得不使用（或不使用）它们的原因进行了全面的文献回顾。特此，关于未来的农药减少，我们确定了可以动员起来设计 MECS 的障碍和潜在好处。要点如下： 在 MECS 中，（1）预计产量和产量的时间稳定性将高于有机农业，但低于传统农业；(2) 高投入成本和能源消耗可能影响盈利能力；(3) 随着替代病虫害防治措施的推广，预计土壤肥力和生物多样性保护将增加；(4) 作物轮作将比传统农业更广泛、更多样化；(5) 除非实现氮的平衡供应，否则作物不能最佳地利用矿物肥料。想要改用 MECS 的农民应该得到补偿，因为他们可能会经历更高的成本、更低的产量和产量稳定性。从这次审查中吸取的教训将有助于朝着创新和可持续的种植制度迈进。进一步的研究应侧重于合理的农民在放弃杀虫剂但仍使用矿物肥料时的适应可能性。