How to avoid pesticides and what will happen if we use pesticides and insecticides in excessive amounts in our field?
Insecticides as well as Pesticides in general provide a faster remedy to pest attacks. That is why the use of them is very popular among the stakeholders. But these toxic chemicals also impose greater risks to agriculture and livelihood.
Excessive use of chemicals such as insecticides frequently cause build up of resistance in the target pests, which ultimately gives rise to pest resurgence and also outbreak of secondary pests. Moreover, the complex synthetic chemicals do not break down easily and in many cases are weakly biodegradable. Therefore, after the application of these chemicals they leave toxic residues in the plant body, on the outer plant surface as well as in the soil. These poisonous residues are one of the major causes of soil and water pollution and also lead to the development of several health hazards. Hence, we should always try to avoid the use of pesticides and even if we do, the pesticides should be used judiciously.
To avoid such difficulties synthesized by the harmful pesticides, we can adopt an integrated approach for minimising pest incidence. Instead of "controlling" the pest population, we should "manage" them below the damaging levels, also known as the Economic Threshold Level (ETL). Adopting Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a proven more sustainable alternative to toxic chemicals. Using resistant crop cultivars, habitat manipulation, use of biological control agents, using traps (light trap, sticky traps, pheromone traps), use of biorational and botanical chemicals are such alternatives that will lead agriculture towards a more sustainable and better future.
To avoid pesticides, use organic farming methods, such as crop rotation, natural predators, and organic fertilizers. Excessive use of pesticides and insecticides can lead to soil degradation, harm beneficial insects, contaminate water sources, and cause health issues for humans and animals. Over time, it can also lead to pest resistance, requiring even stronger chemicals.
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