Pest control chemical

Pesticides are applied to control pests and plant diseases. Pesticides used in agriculture to protect living plants and freshly harvested crops are called plant protection chemicals. When pesticides are used to protect stored food, processed goods, public hygiene, and dead objects, they are called biocides. Pesticides are divided into subgroups named after the pest they fight (Table 11.1). Examples discussed in this book are 

TABLE 11.1 Classification of Pesticides According to Target Pest or Function 

Fungicide Fungi, mold Controls plant diseases 

Herbicide Weeds, plants Total herbicide kills all plants Selective herbicide controls weeds 

Plant growth None Controls the size of plants, e.g.. 

The basis of all plant growth is the photochemical conversion of carbon dioxide and water to carbohydrates with the assistance of chlorophyll as photocatalyst. Therefore, H2O and CO2 are the most important agrochemicals. However, as air and water are provided by nature, we do not see them as chemical products. Agrochemicals in the common sense are fertihzers, pesticides, and other chemicals that help to protect the quality of agricultural commodities. Feed additives, such as vitamins, or veterinary medicines, such as antibiotics, are usually not considered agrochemicals, although they are also synthetic chemicals and are used in agriculture. Therefore, this chapter concentrates on pesticides as the main topic. 

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Although arsenic was not initially reported in the samples studied by Wesley and Wall, re-examination of one of the samples did show it to be present. The cotton from which this sample came probably had not been desiccated the arsenic could have had its orgin in the soil from earlier days or as fiber residue from chemical pest control during the present cotton-growing season. 

In the past few decades food production has increased through plant breeding, fertiiizer use, mechanized farming, and chemical pest control. The most recent U.N. study, the FAO World Food Report, indicated that 1984 food production was greater than 1983. But the report noted that further improvements will be required if food production is to keep pace with population growth. One area for potential improvement is the control of weeds. We have been working on a novel approach to weed control, and find the preliminary results encouraging. 

Pest problems and their management vary widely throughout the world, based on economical resources, cultural techniques, climate, soil types, and many other conditions. As a result, chemical pest control has won a central place in modem... 

Chapter 11 presents an overview of the agrochemical industry. Beginning with the introduction and historical background, it leads to the modern trends in agriculture, chemical pest control, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, and biological pest control agents. Social and economic aspects of pesticides use are also discussed. 

Finally, a utopian goal for resistance management would be to stem the increasing tide of resistance to most chemical pest control products. Instead of experiencing an effective life of 5-15 years until a compound is rendered ineffective, we might see these products last for longer periods--up to 50 years or more--under a better resistance management scenario. This would allow time to develop other, more safe and effective products. Too often... 

Of the other clavicipitalean genera, no records can be found concerning the use of the teleomorph per se as an infective unit for the biological control of arthropod pests. However, the literature on the exploitation of their anamorphs is vast and predates that on chemical pest control. Thus, it is not feasible to encompass all of this information in a single chapter. Instead, selected examples are presented for each anamorph genus to reflect both the past history and the current situation. 

Infestation. Historically, the approach to infestation control in museums has been chemical intervention (42), The chemical approach has resulted in physical changes of the artifacts, surface deposition of chemicals on collections, and health and human safety policies within the field. Chemical pest control does not guarantee the elimination of all stages of insect infestation thus, consistent protection requires the continued application of chemicals. As Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards constrict the use of fumigants and as the list of available pesticides has been reduced. 

This book is divided into four sections, each dealing with topics related to agricultural chemicals, pest control, and crop production. The first section deals with some of the recent developments in plant cell and tissue culture. The diversity of methodology presented in this section reflects the quickly evolving state-of-the-art areas of biotechnology and underlines the... 

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