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Overview of Pesticides and their Use

| Pesticide properties | Modes of Action | Pesticide issues | Better application | Biopesticides | Projects |

Judicious pesticide use is compatible with Good Agricultural Practice. Despite the public concern, the total value of pesticide sales increased some 2.5 times to US$ 30 billion, during the final two decades of the 20th century. Attempts to totally exclude pesticide use are often impractical and have clearly been rejected by "the market". Decreases over the past 4-5 years are thought to be mainly due to low crop prices.

Freely available information on pesticides:

• Responsible trade practices, suitability of products, safe handling and use by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
• Structure and chemical of active ingredients can be obtained from the Alan Wood site.
• A view from the Agrochemical Industry associations (including monograph on formulations (no. 2) etc.) is on the CropLife International site.

Since the mid 1990s, genetically modified (GM) crops have been put-forward as alternative pest and weed control methods, but the technology is controversial in Europe and elsewhere. Sales of GM crops have grown, but to date they are mostly herbicide-tolerant varieties: which "lock-in" herbicide applications to crop management. Further information on GMO issues can be obtained here.

source: British Crop Protection Association Anual reports, Agrow

The DROPDATA pages focus on Rational Pesticide Use: the sub-set of Integrated Crop Management (ICM) which aims to maximise efficacy and mitigate the problems associated with agrochemicals (but not necessarily about promotion of pesticides). Here we give some external links describing issues related to the negative effects of pesticide use, that include:

• Toxicity
• The development of resistance
• Residues on foods  (terms used to describe pesticide residues)
• Environmental impact: UK, USA
• Resurgence of secondary pest: The Americas, Asia