Pesticides
Pesticides
Pests and pesticides Pest: ANY UNWANTED organism that directly or indirectly interfere human activity is called a pest. o Pesticides or biocides are substances that can kill organisms that we consider to be undesirable The most widely used types of pesticides Insecticides Herbicides Fungicides Rodenticides
Pests and pesticides • Pest: ANY UNWANTED organism that directly or indirectly interfere human activity is called a pest. • Pesticides, or biocides, are substances that can kill organisms that we consider to be undesirable. • The most widely used types of pesticides: – Insecticides – Herbicides – Fungicides – Rodenticides
Reasons for our use of pesticides Insects compete with us for food It is estimated that 30% of agricultural crops are consumed by insects worldwide Swarms of locusts like this one in morocco can completely destroy crops
Reasons for our use of pesticides • Insects compete with us for food: It is estimated that 30% of agricultural crops are consumed by insects worldwide. Swarms of locusts like this one in Morocco can completely destroy crops
Reasons for our use of pesticides Some insects are diseases carriers Disease Disease carrier Malaria Anopheles mosquito Bubonic plague Rat fleas Typhus Body lice and fleas Sleeping sickness Tsetse fly
Reasons for our use of pesticides: Some insects are diseases carriers Disease Disease carrier Malaria Anopheles mosquito Bubonic plague Rat fleas Typhus Body lice and fleas Sleeping sickness Tsetse fly
The ideal pesticides Kill only the target pest Have no short- or long- term health effects on non-target organisms, including people Be broken down into harmless chemicals in a fairly short time Prevent the development of genetic resistance in target organisms Saving money compared with making no effort to control pest species
The ideal pesticides • Kill only the target pest • Have no short- or long- term health effects on non-target organisms, including people. • Be broken down into harmless chemicals in a fairly short time. • Prevent the development of genetic resistance in target organisms. • Saving money compared with making no effort to control pest species