Thematic Report: Pesticide use in agriculture, its impact and solutionby Kushal Naharki | 12-07-2020 00:43 |
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Problem: Pesticidal Pollution in Agriculture Pest problem is as old as the agriculture itself but increasing monocropping, climate change, use of hybrid varities have resulted into increase in pest problem. Pesticides are used in agriculture to manage the pest but hapazard and over use of pesticides have resulted negative impactsbon the environment and health of the people. Pesticides have resulted into development of insecticide resistance, outbreak of secondary pest, killing natural enemies, alteration of crop physiology. The pesticides used in large amount has also deplected the quality of soil, decreased fertility and resulted into land and water pollution. The pesticidal residue in agricultural production have also resulted in health hazards. Solution: Integrated pest management (IPM) also known as Integrated Pest Control can be the appropriate solution to sove the pesticidal pollution in agriculture. IPM is a broadbased approach that integrates practices for economic control of pests. UN's Food and Agriculture Organization defines IPM as "the careful consideration of all available pest control techniques and subsequent integration of appropriate measures that discourage the development of pest populations and keep pesticides and other interventions to levels that are economically justified and reduce or minimize risks to human health and the environment. FAO promotes IPM as the preferred approach to crop protection and regards it as a pillar of both sustainable intensification of crop production and pesticide risk reduction IPM integrates physical amd mechanical methods like regulation of moisture, temperature and light traps cultural methods like tillage, crop rotation, mixed and intercropping helathy seeds, diversification of crop, resistant varities and trap cropping and bilogicl control methods like use of natural predators, prasites and parasitoids, microbial control and host plant resistance. Integarted pest management makes the use of all these approaches in an integrated way to solve the pest problem and keeps pesticidal use as the last option when the economic injury level increases higher. IPM aims to suppress pest populations below the economic injury level (EIL ). The objective of IPM is not to eradicate a pest but to reduce its abundance to levels that no longer pose an economic threat to plants and animals. IPM emphasizes the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption to agroecosystems and encourages natural pest control mechanisms. IPM allows for safer pest IPM control and poses the least risks while maximizing benefits and reducing costs . Significance of IPM include effectiveness, ecofriendly, less health hazardous and economical. Reference: FAO. Integrated Pest Management. Retrieved from: http://www.fao.org/agriculture/crops/thematic-sitemap/theme/pests/ipm/en/ Aktar et al. 2009. Impact of pesticides use in agriculture: their benefits and hazards. Interdiscipilary Toxicology: 2(1),1-12 UCIPM. What Is Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?. Retrieved from: https://www2.ipm.ucanr.edu/What-is-IPM/ WHO and FAO. 2018. Global situation of pesticide management in agriculture and public health.World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |
