Pests are a big problem in both rural and urban areas. Pests can have businesses closed down for health and safety reasons, and they can drastically decrease peoples quality of life for those unlucky enough to live in residential areas with recurring pest problems. Pest control means management of a species creating problems for human beings directly or indirectly, since it is considered to be harmful to an individual’s health, the economy or the ecology. Pest management is at least as old as agriculture as it was necessary to keep crops free from unwanted animals and insects.

Chemical control dates back 4500 years, with the Sumerians using Sulphur compounds as insecticides. In India the Rig Veda, which is about 4000 years old mentions the use of poisonous plants for pest control. But chemical management became widespread with industrialization and mechanization of agriculture in 18th and 19th century, and the introduction of insecticides Pyrethrum and Derris Today chemical pest control is the dominant type of pest control. But its aftereffects have led people to think about alternatives in the form of traditional and biological pest control.

The chemical agents include herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. Long lasting synthetic compounds which affect the nervous system of insects on contact are applied as insecticides. Examples of most effective insecticides are the chlorinated hydrocarbons DDT, Chlordane and Toxaphene, even though DDT has been banned. Organophosphate insecticides include Malathiom, Parathion and Dimethoate. 2, 4- dichlorophenoxyacetic acid is the most effective herbicide, used to kill broad leaved weeds.

The disadvantage of using pesticides is that though they are valuable for agriculture, they can cause serious harm. Hence more and more people are shifting to organic and biological pest control measures. It is important that if you have a pet such as a cat or dog, to read the label of the various poisons. Also be sure to inform the pest control people you have a pet and they can treat your infestations with a poison which will not harm your pets. You should always be careful with chemical methods of pest control because they are very useful but can cause lot of problems.

Tags: Chemic, Chemical Pest Control, Understanding

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