1. Brooke LeFevre Victoria Sifuentes Rachel Herron
Pesticides
Brooke LeFevre Victoria Sifuentes Rachel Herron

2. Introduction What is a Pesticide?
Any chemical that is used to kill insects, animals, fungi.
Insecticide, Fungicide, rodenticide, and herbicides (examples)
Pest- any organism that is unwanted
Persistent: pesticides that are stable and remain active for long periods of time
Non-persistent: pesticides that break down quickly
Target: specific pest causing the problem
Non-target: the organism, that is unintentionally killed
Biocide: when pesticides kill a large variety of things including humans
Bioaccumulation/Biomagnification

3. Insecticides
Used to control pests that feed on crops or carry plant diseases
Causes prevention of huge losses
It can be done manually but it is not practical
In ancient Greece Homer mentioned use of sulfur for controlling insects
Disease carrying insects
Mosquitoes carry 30 different harmful diseases to humans
Malaria/ bubonic plague/sleeping sickness
Chlorinated hydrocarbons
Complex/ stable structured that contain carbon, hydrogen, and chlorine.(DDT)(chlordane) (aldrin).
Believed to affect the nervous system of organisms then resulting in death.
Persistent pesticide
Organophosphates
Non persistent
More toxic
Interferes with nervous system
(anthion)(parathion) (diazinon)
Carbamates
Non persistant
More toxic
Interferes with nervous system
(Propoxur)(Carbaryl) (Aldicarb)

4. Rodenticides Target rodents - mice, rats, voles
Can destroy food supply, bring disease, and damage crops in the field
Warfarin - causes internal bleeding (bait)
Drawbacks
Bait is harmful to any organism that eats it, including humans (kills nontarget organisms)
Rodents can become tolerant
Other organisms can be harmed by consuming poisoned rodents
Benefits
Prevents disease spread
Increases crop yield
Decreases food supply damage
Makes food more sanitary

5. Herbicides Targets weeds - unwanted plants
Agricultural, lawns and gardens, public areas
65% of pesticides used in the U.S. are herbicides
Auxins – a plant growth hormone, a lot can produce ethylene, which too much of causes harm or death
Benefits
Dramatically increase crop yield due to less competition and less manual labor
Balancing the ecosystem
Drawbacks
Linger in the soil, leach or runoff into water
Plants can build resistance over time

6. Fungicides Fungae (the problem) Fungicides (the solution)
Definition: Causative agents of crops that reduce yield/quality of food groups.
Can produce toxic compounds unfit to eat
Methylmercury – protects seeds from spoilage but = highly toxic to humans
Fungicides (the solution)
Reduce yield losses that are caused by disease
Improve quality of appearance of harvested produce
Reduces natural toxins fungi produces making it safer to eat.
Protect products from spoilage

7. DDT Disadvantages Reasons for Use First synthetic organic insecticide
Inexpensive, long lasting, harmless to humans. And deadly to insects
Prevented disease and increased crop yield
Disadvantages
Affected nontarget organisms
Eagles, osprey, peregrine falcons (egg hardness)
Persistent chemical - Half life of years
Accumulates reaches higher concentrations in older animals and higher trophic levels
Silent Spring introduced the dangers of DDT and related compounds to the environment