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PESTICIDE ISSUES

Pest control is fundamentally an ecological issue, not solely a chemical one. The decision to spray pesticides hinges on economic considerations, where the economic threshold represents when the cost of pest damage equals the cost of pesticide application. Excessive spraying can lead to resistance and increased costs, contributing to the pesticide treadmill. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) combines physical, biological, and chemical methods to control pests sustainably. Alternatives include cultivation practices, crop rotation, and biological solutions like natural predators. Non-native species and genetic methods also offer potential but require careful research and implementation.

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PESTICIDE ISSUES

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  1. PESTICIDE ISSUES “We need to recognize that pest control is basically an ecological, not a chemical problem” Robert L. Rudd (text, p. 516)

  2. To spray or not to spray… • The decision is…. ECONOMIC!

  3. Pesticide Economics • Economic threshold—level where economic losses caused by pest damage equal cost of applying a pesticide • Spraying beyond threshold… -can increase pest resistance and costs Ever-increasing levels? Pesticide Treadmill • Increased pesticide use (above “needed” levels) can also result from: • Spraying extra to make fruits/veggies pretty (cosmetic spraying)

  4. INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT • IntegratedPest Management (IPM) is an approach to managing pests such as insects, diseases, weeds and animals by integrating appropriate: • Physical/Cultivation • Biological • Chemical …tactics that are safe, profitable and environmentally compatible.

  5. First Level of Pesticide Alternatives: • Cultivation practices • Crop rotation • Tree breaks/plant breaks • Polyculture—intercropping, agroforestry, polyvarietal planting • Planting “trap crops” • Genetic/Cultivated solutions—plants “resistant” to pests/diseases • BUT the pests evolve!!

  6. http://forages.oregonstate.edu/nfgc/eo/onlineforagecurriculum/instructormaterials/availabletopics/environmentalissues/ipmhttp://forages.oregonstate.edu/nfgc/eo/onlineforagecurriculum/instructormaterials/availabletopics/environmentalissues/ipm

  7. Biologically-based Pesticide Alternatives • Biological Solutions • Natural enemies—ladybugs, parasitic wasps What are pros and cons of this? • Good: focuses on target, self-perpetuating, minimize genetic resistance in pests • Bad: takes years of research, may be hard to mass produce, can be done incorrectly! What about introducing NON-NATIVE species??

  8. Releasing sterilized males into the wild Both work, but costly and time-consuming on research end Developmental stops—releasing hormones into the wild to prevent an insect from developing Sex and Hormones

  9. Chemical Methods – Two tiers First: • Naturally-occuring: Insecticidal soaps, rotenoids, Bt, cayenne pepper • Bt – bacillus thuringensis toxin from soil bacteria that is naturally toxic to many insect species. Also in GM corn Only then, as a last resort: • Conventional pesticides – Atrazine, organophosphates, carbamates (organo-chlorine compounds like DDT bioaccumulate, biomagnify and are used much less now)

  10. Sources • http://www.scitopics.com/Integrated_Pest_Management.html • http://www.capitalgroundwater.org/h2oquiz/businesspesticide.shtml

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