Pesticides and Pest Control

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Pesticides and Pest Control

• Chapter 23

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National Benchmarks

• IV. Land and Water Use (10-15)
• Controlling peststypes of pesticides see
  tables in text
• costs and benefits of pesticide use
• integrated pest management (IPM)
• relevant laws complete assigned worksheet

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Key Concepts

• Types and characteristics of pesticides

• Pros and cons of using pesticides

• Pesticide regulation in the US

• Alternatives to chemical pesticides

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Pests what do they do?

• Compete with humans for food

• Invade lawns and gardens

• Destroy wood in houses

• Spread disease

• Are a nuisance

• May be controlled by natural enemies

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Pesticides Types

• Chemicals that kill undesirable organisms

• Insecticides

• Herbicides

• Fungicides

• Rodenticides

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Table 23-1Page 520
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Table 23-1Page 520
Table 23-1 Major Types of Pesticides
Type Herbicides Contact chemicals Systemic
chemicals Soil sterilants Fungicides Various
chemicals Fumigants Various chemicals
Examples Atrazine, simazine,
paraquat 2,4-D, 2,4,5-T, Silvex,
diuron, daminozide (Alar), alachlor
(Lasso), glyphosate (Roundup) Tribulan,
diphenamid, dalapon, butylate Captan,
pentachlorophenol, zeneb, methyl bromide, carbon
bisulfide Carbon tetrachloride, ethylene
dibromide, methyl bromide
Persistence Low (days to weeks) Mostly
low (days to weeks) Low (days) Most low
(days) Mostly high
Biologically Magnified? No No No No
Yes (for most)
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So why use pesticides?

• Save human lives

• Increase food supplies and lower costs

• Work better and faster than alternatives

• Health risks may be insignificant compared to
  benefits

• Newer pesticides are becoming safer

• New pesticides are used at lower rates

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5 major pests in the 48 states
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ranges overlap
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So whats an ideal Pesticide?

• Affects only target pests

• Harms no other species

• No genetic resistance

• Breaks down quickly in the environment

• Be more cost-effective than doing nothing

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Lets look at the other side of it

• Genetic resistance

• The pesticide treadmill

• Can kill non-target and natural control species

• Can cause an increase in other pest species

• Pesticides do not stay put

• Can harm wildlife

• Potential human health threats

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600
500
Neonicotinoids (1995)
400
Pyrethroids (1978)
Number of genetically resistant insect species
300
Carbamates (1972)
200
Organophosphates (1965)
100
DDT/cyclodienes (1946)
1950
1950
1950
1950
1950
1950
Year
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Lets look at the other side of it

• Genetic resistance

• The pesticide treadmill

• Can kill non-target and natural control species

• Can cause an increase in other pest species

• Pesticides do not stay put

• Can harm wildlife

• Potential human health threats

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Crop duster

• Only .1 2 reaches
• Targeted area
• 30 more than ground
• Based pesticides
• Are applied to
• compensate

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Whos watching the use of.?

• Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide
  Act (FIFRA)

• EPA Evaluation of chemicals

• Tolerance levels

• Inadequate and poorly enforced

• Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA)

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Other Ways to Control Pests

• Adjusting cultivation practices

• Use genetically-resistant plants

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DO NOT POST TO INTERNET
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Other Ways to Control Pests

• Biological pest control

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Other Ways to Control Pests

• Insect birth control

Sterile males are released to mate and females
eggs never hatch
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Other Ways to Control Pests

• Hormones and pheromones

Hormones disrupt life cycle Pheromones confuse
insects so they cant find mates
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Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

• Ecological system approach

• Reduce pest populations to economic threshold

• Field monitoring of pest populations

• Use of biological agents

• Chemical pesticides are last resort

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Why is Integrated Pest Management not More Widely
Used?

• Requires expert knowledge
• Slower than conventional pesticides
• Initial costs may be high
• Hindered by government subsidies