What are the advantages and disadvantages of using organic pesticides?

Answer 1

Pesticides are poisons. As such, there are many ways that pesticides can be harmful. Although pesticides are usually used to kill a particular target pest, many will also kill or harm species that the farmer or other user is not targeting. For example, pesticides applied to crops might be washed into streams or lakes and harm fish, beneficial insects, birds, or even find their way into drinking water sources.

Advantages of using pesticides

• Cost effectiveness: Pesticides are an economical way of controlling pests. They require low labour input and allow large areas to be treated quickly and effectively. It has been estimated that there is a four-fold return on every dollar a farmer spends on pesticides.
• Flexibility: A suitable pesticide is available for almost all pest problems with variation in type, activity and persistence.
• Quality, quantity and price of produce: Using pesticides means there is a plentiful supply and variety of high quality products at reasonable prices. Modern society demands nutritious food free from damage caused by pests and flowers which look untouched. This would be very difficult without pesticides.
• Prevention of problem: Pesticides are often used to stop the spread of pests in imports and exports, preventing weeds in gardens and protecting house and furniture from destruction.
  
• Protection of pets and humans: Under the blanket of pesticides is pet flea products, fly and insect spray and other household products which make life bearable.
• Protection of the environment: Currently, weeds are controlled by herbicides, but without them, land would need to be cultivated, increasing land degradation.

Disadvantages of Pesticides

• Reduction of beneficial species: Animals which interact with the targeted pest can also be affected by he chemical application. The reduction in these other organisms can result in changes in the biodiversity of an area and affect natural biological balances.
• Drift of sprays and vapour: Pesticides can affect other areas during application and can cause severe problems in different crops, livestock, waterways and the general environment. Wildlife and fish are the most affected. Taking special note of weather conditions can reduce drift.
• Residues in food: There is the possibility of pesticides in human food, either by direct application onto the food, or by bio-magnification along the food line. Not all levels are undesirable but unnecessary and dangerous levels must be avoided through good agricultural practice.
• Ground water contamination: Chemicals can reach underground aquifers if there is persistent product use in agricultural areas.
• Resistance: Overuse of the same pesticide can encourage resistance in the target pest.
• Poisoning hazards: Pesticide operators can risk poisoning through excessive exposure if safe handling procedure are not followed and protective clothing is not worn. Poisoning risks depend on dose, toxicity, duration of exposure and sensitivity.
• Other possible health effects: As pesticides used now have been through rigorous testing, most health problems stem from misuse, abuse or overuse.

Pesticide can keep bugs and stuff off of your plants but when it rains it comes off and flows into rivers killing fish and other aquatic animals.

Answer 2

Pesticides are poisons. As such, there are many ways that pesticides can be harmful. Although pesticides are usually used to kill a particular target pest, many will also kill or harm species that the farmer or other user is nottargeting. For example, pesticides applied to crops might be washed into streams or lakes and harm fish, beneficial insects, birds, or even find their way into drinking water sources.

Advantages of using pesticides

• Cost effectiveness: Pesticides are an economical way of controlling pests. They require low labour input and allow large areas to be treated quickly and effectively. It has been estimated that there is a four-fold return on every dollar a farmer spends on pesticides.
• Flexibility: A suitable pesticide is available for almost all pest problems with variation in type, activity and persistence.
• Quality, quantity and price of produce: Using pesticides means there is a plentiful supply and variety of high quality products at reasonable prices. Modern society demands nutritious food free from damage caused by pests and flowers which look untouched. This would be very difficult without pesticides.
• Prevention of problem: Pesticides are often used to stop the spread of pests in imports and exports, preventing weeds in gardens and protecting house and furniture from destruction.
• Protection of pets and humans: Under the blanket of pesticides is pet flea products, fly and insect spray and other household products which make life bearable.
• Protection of the environment: Currently, weeds are controlled by herbicides, but without them, land would need to be cultivated, increasing land degradation.

Disadvantages of Pesticides

• Reduction of beneficial species: Animals which interact with the targeted pest can also be affected by he chemical application. The reduction in these other organisms can result in changes in the biodiversity of an area and affect natural biological balances.
• Drift of sprays and vapour: Pesticides can affect other areas during application and can cause severe problems in different crops, livestock, waterways and the general environment. Wildlife and fish are the most affected. Taking special note of weather conditions can reduce drift.
• Residues in food: There is the possibility of pesticides in human food, either by direct application onto the food, or by bio-magnification along the food line. Not all levels are undesirable but unnecessary and dangerous levels must be avoided through good agricultural practice.
• Ground water contamination: Chemicals can reach underground aquifers if there is persistent product use in agricultural areas.
• Resistance: Overuse of the same pesticide can encourage resistance in the target pest.
• Poisoning hazards: Pesticide operators can risk poisoning through excessive exposure if safe handling procedure are not followed and protective clothing is not worn. Poisoning risks depend on dose, toxicity, duration of exposure and sensitivity.
• Other possible health effects: As pesticides used now have been through rigorous testing, most health problems stem from misuse, abuse or overuse.

Pesticide can keep bugs and stuff off of your plants but when it rains it comes off and flows into rivers killing fish and other aquatic animals.

Answer 3

ADVANTAGES

the most important advantage to the use of biological control is that it typically offers longer term management than the more traditional technology areas. longer term control is achieved because biocontrol agents act as if a host specific control method is continualy present and impacting the target plant.

for example, once an agent is released and well established, insect population levels cycle proportionately with the population of the plant. that is when plant population levels are high, there will be a corresponding increase in the population levels of the biocontrol gents. when plant levels decrease, there is a corresponding decrease in the numbers of the biocontrol agents persist and continually exert controlling or regulatory pressure on the target plant.

another advantage is that the cost for control is typically lower to relative to more traditional control procedures. typically, biocontrol agents are released in relatively low numbers for only a short time in the beginning of the program unlike more traditional methods of control which are used continually over many years. after the releases are discontinued, the agent population increases, if successful and begings to damage the target population. only in rare circumstances are the agents released continually. a lower cost for control is the result, because the initial cost of introduction, release and establishment is offset by the value of achieving and maintaining control for many years after the initial release of the organisms, i.e: beefits accrae over many years.

selectivity,it does not intestify o create new pest problems.

no manufacturing of new chemicals, the organisms are already available.

control organisms will increase in number and spread.

the pest is unable ( or very slow) to develop a resistance.

control is self perpetuating.

free of side effects

safe to handle or use

occurs naturally

high degree of host specificity

cost effective

self perpetuation

searching ability

survive of low host density

pesicides which are harmful to all parts of the food chain, are not needed.

biological control is self- perpetuating

suitable biological control organisms do not attack other species

usually a large proportion of the post population is destroyed.

DISADVANTAGES

control is slow

i will not exterminate the pest

it is often unpredictable

it is difficult and expensive to develop and supply

it requires expert supervision

slow to achieve results

impact often not dramatic

partial success

can be complex

disruption of food chains

the need for environmentally unfriendly follow up operations to ensure that the populations does not build up resistance to the biological control agent.

Answer 4

Pros:

Help keep insects, pests, plants, etc away from crops and food

Cons:

Pollute the earth

Contaminate water, soil, and living things

Answer 5

pros: damage to earth

cons: safe to the earth

Answer 6

disadvantages of weedicides