Factors like fungus or weeds could have adverse effects on your crops, but pesticides can keep them under control. The four most common pesticides include insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and bactericides.
There are three different kinds of pesticides; herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. All three of these pesticides are used to kill different kinds of pests that can be found on a farm. Farmers that make the decision not to use any chemicals are called organic farmers.
Insecticides are used to control insect infestations. Some insecticides are incorporated into the soil (to treat grubs, worms, and other soil dwelling pests), while others are applied directly to plant foliage (to treat moths, aphids, and other above-ground pests).
In an agricultural crop, this may mean using cultural methods, such as rotating between different crops, selecting pest-resistant varieties, and planting pest-free rootstock. These control methods can be very effective and cost-efficient and present little to no risk to people or the environment.
Herbicides are chemicals used to manipulate or control undesirable vegetation. Herbicide application occurs most frequently in row-crop farming, where they are applied before or during planting to maximize crop productivity by minimizing other vegetation.
Biotech and conventional cotton farmers often rely on fertilizers, applying a mix of needed nutrients to their fields. These can be in the form of dry, granular fertilizers applied directly to the soil or liquid fertilizers that are sprayed onto the field.
While herbicide is effective in controlling weeds and unwanted vegetation, it has negative environmental and human health impacts. For example, there is a strong link between work exposure and disease, particularly cancer. Tin light of this, safety and health precautions must be taken when handling herbicides [8].
Organic pest management may include the use of pheromone traps, release of beneficial insects, use of trap crops, and other organically approved techniques (see Rules Relating to Pest Management, next page).
True bugs are one of the most common agricultural pests, encompassing all insects of the Order Hemiptera. Some of these insects are more commonly known as cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, and shield bugs. They damage using their piercing mouthpieces to penetrate into the plant and suck out its juices.
Use of healthy and resistant seeds, avoiding the cultivation of host plants of insects, adopting good sanitation, keeping field clean, reducing sources of nutrients by removal of weeds, stubbles, etc., can reduce pest attack.
Farmers have been using naturally occurring compounds—such as pyrethrins from Chrysanthemum flowers or nicotine from tobacco—for centuries to kill insects on crop plants, or even head lice on humans. Compounds that act as pesticides have diverse chemical structures with different modes of action.
Pesticides are a class of chemicals designed to kill pests (rodents, insects, or plants) that may affect agricultural crops or carry diseases like malaria and typhus.
Clean cattle tanks and watering troughs regularly to prevent mosquitoes from multiplying. Mosquitofish may also be added to provide control. Remove or destroy troughs or tanks that are not in active use. Good agriculture results from the efficient use of water, and efficient use of water reduces mosquito populations.
Biological control is another one of the industry's viable pesticide alternatives and is an ecologically friendly pest management technique that uses 'natural enemies' to suppress pest populations. These natural enemies might include predators, parasites, or diseases unique to the pest in question.
What Chemicals Do Most Pest Control Companies Use? Most pest control companies use pesticides called pyrethrins and pyrethroids, including Permethrin. These mimic natural and organic pesticides found in varieties of chrysanthemums.
The most commonly used insecticides are the organophosphates, pyrethroids and carbamates (see Figure 1).
Chemical Method
This method is one of the most popular ones across the world. Pest eliminating experts also use this chemical method to decrease weed infestation and disease in the crops. These professionals use poisonous chemicals to kill the filthy pests in the infested areas.
Pyrethrins and Pyrethroids are the most common pest control substances. Chemicals in this class include the active ingredient Permethrin. These substances are made to mimic botanical insecticides, specifically varieties of chrysanthemum that are toxic to insects.
A good soil fertility program with ample water supply is seen as the first prerequisite for avoiding insect problems. Crop timing is often used to avoid certain pest groups. Crop rotation by family groups, resistant varieties, and floating row covers is used at some times.
The four most common pesticides include insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and bactericides.
Organic farmers cannot use glyphosate at any point in food production, and their crops are highly regulated and monitored carefully during the certification process. If contamination from any chemical, including glyphosate, is present, organic farmers cannot sell that crop as certified organic.
As long as it is completely dry, Roundup is largely non-toxic to animals. Make no mistake: Roundup is dangerous when it's wet. Don't let your pets (or other animals) walk around or eat plants that have been freshly sprayed with Roundup, no matter if it's glyphosate-based or not.
Exposure to glyphosate-based pesticides has been linked to certain types of cancer as well as to adverse effects on human development and hormonal systems. What is of particular concern is that certain health effects associated with the use of glyphosate can also be passed down to other generations.
Signs of severe poisoning are diarrhea, rapid onset of weakness and an unwillingness to stand, and perhaps convulsions. An effective antidote is not known. Treatment consists of supportive care.