Pests are organisms that reduce the quality or yield of a crop. Many crop pests include aphids and caterpillars; however slugs and snails also cause a lot of damage. Pest control involves Biological, Chemical and Physical processes.
Plants which are grown closely together may cause the rapid spread of fungal diseases and insect pests, from plant to plant, which soon affects large areas and causes heavy damage in a short period of time. It is important to control unwanted organisms, such as weeds, pests and insects that generate diseases from fungi and viruses, in order to obtain a harvest of high quality.
Biological control does not use any chemicals.
It involves other organisms that are predators or parasites of pests. E.g. Greenhouse infested whitefly is where the predatory wasps are introduced. The wasp lays eggs into the scale (larva) of the whitefly. A young wasp emerges from each larva, having used the larva as a nutrient supply.
The whitefly young are killed, so its population decreases.
Genetic Engineering can also be used. A gene must be transferred to a potato plant which enables them to produce a natural insecticide. This destroys 50% of aphids that attack the plants. Therefore the amount of damage is reduced.
Pests and weeds can be controlled with Chemical Pesticides. Pesticides are sprayed onto the crops to kill the pests. These chemicals kill Insecticides, which are used to fight insect pests. Fungicides, which target the fungi and causes many plant diseases. Herbicides are the ones that kill weeds.
Most of the insecticides now applied are synthetic compounds that affect the nervous system of insects when come in contact. The most effective include DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane), chlordane and toxaphene. The organophosphate insecticides are Malathion, Parathion and Dimethoate.
Among the most effective herbicides are the compounds of 2, 4-D
(2,4 Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid) where only a few kilograms of which are required per hectare to kill broad leaved weeds while leaving the crop plants unaffected.
DDT is a colourless chemical pesticide, applied to eliminate crop eating insects. It was first used in World War II to combat yellow fever, typhus, elephantiasis and other insect related diseases.
In India, DDT reduced malaria from 75 million cases to fewer than
5 million in a decade. Crops sprayed with DDT doubled their yields.
Publications in 1962 from an American marine biologist named Rachel Carson suspected that DDT caused reproductive dysfunctions mainly in animals higher in the food chain and thin egg shells in birds. Some insects gradually developed DDT- resistant strains whose populations grew.
In other cases wasps were being eliminated from the spraying. In 1973 DDT was banned in U.S. except for extreme health emergencies or only accessible under strict control.
There are several chemical substances involved in the production of different pesticides. These include
These are pesticides sprayed directly onto the crop. Contact insecticides are usually absorbed by the insect through the tiny gas exchange pores known as the spiracles. Contact herbicides and fungicides are absorbed directly through the surface. These may be low in cost but need to be reapplied as the effect of the chemical is temporarily and moreover some pests are able to avoid the pesticide.
Systemic insecticides are sprayed onto the crops. They are absorbed by the leaves and transported around the plant. A sap sucking insect such as an aphid feeding on the crop plant will be poisoned when takes in the pesticide. This method can be very effective as the spray doesn’t need to come in contact with every other insect. Systemic herbicides are absorbed by the leaves and transported through the weed and kill all of its tissues including the roots.
These are sprayed onto the soil or used to treat the seeds before they are planted. They remain active in the soil and kill fungal spores, insect eggs and larvae.
To maximise the advantages and benefits of chemical pesticides while minimising the potential problems, this can be achieved by…
In my opinion, I think that controls such as biological, chemical, physical are very important when it comes to keeping our environment safe. However, the strength of chemical pesticide is far greater than any other method and I believe that by means of improving this technique of extermination, chemical pesticide can become the ultimate line of attack when it comes to eradicating organisms which damage the environment. There are different approaches which are vital to reduce or even eliminate the majority of pests, insects and other organisms which cause harm to the crops in the environment. When selecting a good quality of Chemical Pesticide, there are some considerations involved…
The different ways which are carried out to control the pests all have their advantages and disadvantages. By the correct, safe and accurate methods pest control can be minimised and farming will become more profitable.
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