Thresholds of pesticides:
Dr. Asma Ali (Ecologist)
Dr. Asma Ali (Ecologist)
Pest are unwanted small creatures that feeds on plants and harm them. To escape from damage, farmer utilize several specific methods for pest control. To reduce or inhibit the growth of pest, pesticides are often divided in the several different categories like insecticide, fungicides, rodenticides and herbicides.
Pesticides are potentially toxic chemical and can have both acute and chronic health effects. Impact of pest depends on the quantity and the way in which a person is exposed. Several groups of pesticides can remain in the soil and water for many years.
The use of lethal pesticide have been banned in the developed countries but still most of the developing countries using them. It has been observed that more than 1000 pesticides used around the world to ensure food would not destroyed by pest.
As importantly most of the pesticides found to be soluble in water, therefore they applied with water, where they get absorbed by the target. The higher the solubility of the pesticides, the higher the risk of leaching.
The use of lethal pesticide have been banned in the developed countries but still most of the developing countries using them. It has been observed that more than 1000 pesticides used around the world to ensure food would not destroyed by pest.
As importantly most of the pesticides found to be soluble in water, therefore they applied with water, where they get absorbed by the target. The higher the solubility of the pesticides, the higher the risk of leaching.
Excessive rainfall and irrigation causes pesticides and its residues to be quickly transport to contaminate groundwater and freshwater supplies over large geographical area. Irrigating saturated soils or management is critical to minimise the risk of pesticides in infiltrating groundwater.
The Cornell University Cooperative Extension states “cleanup of groundwater contaminated by pesticides is usually impossible. The slow movement of groundwater means that it may take decades for the contaminated water to flow beyond affected wells. Determining which wells will be affected and for how long is difficult problem.”
When we deal with pesticide it meets a variety of fates. Some may be lost to the atmosphere through volatilization, carried away to surface water by runoff or broken down in the sunlight by photosynthesis.
Pesticides in soil maybe taken up by plants degraded into other chemical forms, or leached downward possibly to groundwater. The remainder is retained in the soil and continues to be available for plant uptake.
 Pesticides effects on human health by many ways. Organophosphates and Carbamates affected the nervous system while some of them irritate the skin or eyes. Some pesticide maybe carcinogens and others may affect the hormone or endocrine system in the body.
The Stockholm convention banned endosulfan in more than 120 countries in 2011 including India. Sources says 18 class one pesticides ( most toxic) are currently used in India. In India enforcement of pesticide is a problem as many unapproved pesticides find their way in to fields.
Although pesticides use has become very common worldwide, many new pest control methods are being developed. These alternative pest control methods are designed to help, control the pest population while protecting the environment and human health.
The most common alternative pest control methods includes biological control, natural chemical control and genetic control.
In addition to these specific control method, a complex management system known as integrated pest management has also been developed. In addition, crops can be genetically altered in ways that produce chemical are physical barriers to prevent harm from pests.
I am at lost to understand that why are we using these banned toxic chemicals. Excess use of pesticides is going to be a helluva problem. We have many different methods to eliminate the damage of crop from these unwanted organism but we always want to take shortcut or adopt easy ways.
As mentioned by Reena Gupta (2017 November) in October 2017 about 40 farmers died and more than 700 were hospitalized in Maharashtra due to pesticide poisoning. Initial reports suggests that the death are due to monocrotophos; a highly toxic chemical been banned in more than 60 countries but allowed to be sold in our country. In this way all our past experiences are potentially available to the present. But what is pertinent here is to use alternative pest control method for sustainable development.
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