Check Your Knowledge About Pesticides

Pesticides are meant to control pests, diseases, and insect infestation. Different pesticides have different properties, effective against different kinds of pests.

There are seven types of pesticides viz., insecticides, herbicides, rodenticides, bactericides, fungicides, larvicides, and miticides.

The first ever synthetic pesticide was used in the US way back in the 1930s. The use of these pesticides became rampant at the time of WWII and by 1950, it was confirmed that pesticides can increase farm production to a great extent.

Pesticides can cause short-term, adverse health effects called acute effects, as well as chronic adverse effects that can occur months or years after exposure.

Herbicides, also commonly known as weed killers, are substances used to control unwanted growth of weeds.

Nitrogen alone cannot be used as a pesticide. However, it is commonly used as the major ingredient to make pesticides.

Fungicides are the most toxic of all pesticides, followed by herbicides and insecticides.

DDT was banned in 1972 because of concerns over carcinogenicity, bioaccumulation, and health effects on wildlife.

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is an insecticide used in agriculture. The EPA banned it in 1972 owing to its hazardous effects on the environment as well as human health.

Pesticides are both, water soluble and volatile. The degree of solubility defines the pesticide's potential for runoff and leaching. The degree of volatility defines its drift.