Any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest. First use of synthetic pesticides were made on 1940. Pesticides have different distribution and persistence patterns in the environment, even if all of them are distributed in some way through air, soil and water. This should be addressed to gain an understanding of how acute and chronic exposure may occur because air, water and soil are the media of exposure.

A wide range of chemicals are used in global agriculture under the perception that they are fundamental to achieving maximum crop yields. There is, however, a growing knowledge base developing that underpins the distribution and impact of chemicals in the environment and how they affect the human body. Furthermore, there is growing requirement for regulatory control and management procedures due to the specific challenges.

The chemicals used for current agriculture are overwhelmingly harmful to the environment it’s presented to. Not only do pesticides contaminate non-targeted plants outside of the crop range – for as far as a few hundred miles – but by contaminating the non-targeted plants, the animals and insects that ingest these plants are also contaminated and potentially harmed. Bees, specifically, are slowly dying because of this very problem. It’s absolutely vital that current agriculture alters the way that crops are taken care of with pesticides, as the areas contaminated and effected will only spread out more and more as the problem persists.

Four commonly used pesticides include:

·       Metam sodium

·       Methyl bromide

·       Telone II

·       Chloropicrin

Agricultural chemicals are classified as follows by application target.

A. Insecticides- Agents for controlling harmful insect pests that damage field crops.

B. Fungicides- Agents for controlling diseases that damage field crops.

C. Insect-fungicides- Agents that simultaneously control harmful insect pests and diseases that damage field crops.

D. Herbicides- Agents for controlling weeds

E. Rodenticides- Agents for controlling rats and other rodents

F. Plant growth regulators- Agents to promote or inhibit the growth of field crops.

G. Attractants- Agents that attract mainly harmful insect pests by odor or other means.

H. Repellents- Agents for having repellent action on harmful mammals and birds that damage field crops.

I. Spreaders- Agents that are mixed with other agricultural chemicals to enhance the adherence of these chemicals.

     Effects of using Pesticides in Agriculture

·       Development  of resistancy in  insect

·       Outbreak of pest

·       Hazard of pesticide residue

·       Environment Pollution

·       Phytotoxicity

·       Adverse effect on non-target organism

·       Resurgence of pest

Agricultural chemicals are agents or natural enemies that can affect organisms and the environment, if used incorrectly. One way of limiting the emission of pesticides into the environment and the exposure to humans is to produce organic products. Sensible use of pesticides should be taken into consideration along with their appropriate use, use during proper time, read the precautions and labeled on pesticides. The integrated pest management can be the best alternative to the use of pesticides in agriculture.

References:

https://www.acis.famic.go.jp/eng/chishiki/01.htm

https://swissponic.ch/2016/03/16/problems-in-agriculture-1-high-usage-of-chemicals/

https://www.epa.gov/pesticides

https://greentumble.com/harmful-chemicals-used-in-agriculture/