Weed and pest control

Rahman, A., M.H. Gray, and T.K. James (1986). Persistence of repeated annual applications of atrazine - results after eight years. Proceedings of the 39th New Zealand Weed and Pest Control Conference, pp. 249-252. 

Combellack, J.H. 41st Hew Zealand Weed and Pest Control Conf., Keynote Address. 1988. 

Fertilizers. Items containing weed and pest control or other harmful ingredients or because of their composition, are hazardous. 

Lockhart Wiseman s Crop Husbandry Weed and pest control... 

This comprehensive definition makes it elear that a wide number of substances may be eonsidered to be pestieides, and that the eommonality among all pestieides is their ability to provide eontrol over pests. A variety of classifications for pesticides have been developed that are specific for the type of pest controlled. Insecticides, for example, are pesticides that control insects, while herbicides control weeds and fungicides control plant diseases (molds). In addition to these major classifications of pesticides, there are many other classifications. These include nematicides (for nematode control), acaracides (mite control), rodenticides (rodent control), molluscicide (snail and slug control), algacides (algal control), bacteriocides (bacterial control), and defoliants (leaf control). 

Biotechnology currently emphasizes microscale aspects that were not visible or envisioned until about 150 years ago, including (1) microbes (2) stereochemistry of reactions, molecular biology including transcription of genetic codes and translation for protein production and cell multiplication and (3) enzymes as catalysts. Humans came to only partially understand the nature of systems (animals, plants, insects, and soil) they handled in agriculture. Modern biotechnology must address needs of these systems, as well as those of people. Animals and plants must be healthy and adequately nourished, the pests (weeds and insects) controllable, the soil kept productive, and all must function in acceptable harmony if the quality of human life is to be sustained or improved as the population increases. 

Class A Frequent mowing, fertilization, and pest control often irrigated Class B Frequent mowing occasional weed control and fertilization Class C Infrequent mowing occasional weed control Class D No mowing, occasional brush and weed control... 

Selective toxicity is also important in relation to the development of resistance or tolerance to pollutants from two distinct points of view. On the one hand, there is interest among scientists concerned with crop protection and disease control in mechanisms by which crop pests, vectors of disease, plant pathogens, and weeds develop resistance to pesticides. Understanding the mechanism should point to ways of overcoming resistance, for example, other compounds not affected by resistance mechanisms or synergists to inhibit enzymes that provide a resistance mechanism. On the other hand, the development of resistance can be a useful indication of the environmental impact of pollutants. 

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