Discovery and development of new pesticides

The great importance of research directed towards developing new pesticides has already been emphasized. The purpose of the present section is to discuss the way in which this work is carried out and the factors which have influenced and are still influencing the cost, the time-scale and the nature of the testing programme. Effects of public opinion, introduced in the previous section, will be much in evidence. 

It cannot be emphasized too strongly that nowadays the primary objective is to produce a pesticide which is selective in its biological action. In this way adverse effects on other living things and the environment will be minimized. As we shall see later, most of the widely publicized problems in the use of just a 

---

Before moving on to look in detail at the discovery and development of new pesticides it is worthwhile briefly reviewing public concern over the safety of chemicals in, and their effect on, the environment. As we shall see, public attitudes have had a major effect on both the time scale and cost of developing new pesticides. 

Two approaches to the discovery and development of new pesticides will be considered. First, in order to illustrate how difficult it is to produce an acceptable pesticide, an exercise in listing the properties which the chemical requires will be carried out. A generalized scheme showing the main stages involved will then be considered. 

This relatively rapid onset of resistance to many pesticides is another powerful argument for somehow streamlining and reducing the time-scale for the discovery and development of new pesticides. It also provides an incentive to use the integrated pest management approach. 

---