Protecting Food Protecting Food Resources: Pest Resources: Pest Management Management Chapter 13 – Food, Soil, Chapter 13 – Food, Soil, Conservation and Pest Conservation and Pest Management Management
Dec 18, 2015
Protecting Food Resources: Protecting Food Resources: Pest ManagementPest Management
Chapter 13 – Food, Soil, Chapter 13 – Food, Soil, Conservation and Pest ManagementConservation and Pest Management
What is a pest?What is a pest?
Any species that Any species that competes with us competes with us for food, invades for food, invades lawns and gardens, lawns and gardens, destroys wood in destroys wood in houses, spreads houses, spreads disease, invades disease, invades ecosystems, or is ecosystems, or is simply a nuisance.simply a nuisance.
Pest ControlPest Control
Pesticides – chemicals to kill or Pesticides – chemicals to kill or control populations of organisms we control populations of organisms we consider undesirable.consider undesirable. insecticidesinsecticides herbicidesherbicides fungicidesfungicides rodenticidesrodenticides
Types of PesticidesTypes of Pesticides
First-generation pesticidesFirst-generation pesticides natural chemicals or botanicals borrowed from natural chemicals or botanicals borrowed from
plants that had been defending themselvesplants that had been defending themselves
Types of PesticidesTypes of Pesticides
Second-generation Second-generation pesticidespesticides chemicals produced in chemicals produced in
the laboratory or the laboratory or chemicals created by chemicals created by improvements on first-improvements on first-generation pesticides generation pesticides and microbotanicalsand microbotanicals
broad spectrum broad spectrum agentsagents
selective agentsselective agents
Advantages of Modern Synthetic Advantages of Modern Synthetic PesticidesPesticides
Save livesSave lives Increase food suppliesIncrease food supplies Increase profits for farmersIncrease profits for farmers Fast actingFast acting Human health risks are low when Human health risks are low when
applied properlyapplied properly Safety is improvingSafety is improving
Disadvantages of Modern Synthetic Disadvantages of Modern Synthetic PesticidesPesticides
Accelerate genetic resistance to Accelerate genetic resistance to pesticides in pestspesticides in pests
Increasing costs to farmersIncreasing costs to farmers Non-specific/ May kill beneficial Non-specific/ May kill beneficial
organismsorganisms Pollute land and waterwaysPollute land and waterways Can harm wildlifeCan harm wildlife Some can threaten human healthSome can threaten human health
U.S. Pesticide Control LegislationU.S. Pesticide Control Legislation Scope:Scope:
2.4 million tons of pesticides generated/yr2.4 million tons of pesticides generated/yr ~25,000 commercial pesticide products~25,000 commercial pesticide products
RegulationRegulation Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide
Act (FIFRA) – 1947, 1972Act (FIFRA) – 1947, 1972 Tasks EPA with evaluating health hazards of Tasks EPA with evaluating health hazards of
pesticidespesticides Food Quality Protection Act – 1996Food Quality Protection Act – 1996
EPA must reduce the allowed levels of pesticide EPA must reduce the allowed levels of pesticide residues on food by 10x if data on harmful effects on residues on food by 10x if data on harmful effects on children is inadequatechildren is inadequate
Enforcement is poor.Enforcement is poor. Banned substances may be manufactured and Banned substances may be manufactured and
exported.exported.
Fig. 13-30, p. 299
What Can You Do?
Reducing Exposure to Pesticides
• Grow some of your food using organic methods.
• Buy organic food.
• Wash and scrub all fresh fruits, vegetables, and wild foods you pick.
• Eat less or no meat.
• Trim the fat from meat.
• Grow some of your food using organic methods.
• Buy organic food.
• Wash and scrub all fresh fruits, vegetables, and wild foods you pick.
• Eat less or no meat.
Alternative Pest Control MeasuresAlternative Pest Control Measures
Crop rotationCrop rotation Adjust planting times to avoid pest emergenceAdjust planting times to avoid pest emergence Growing crops in areas where major pests do Growing crops in areas where major pests do
not existnot exist PolyculturePolyculture Implant genetic resistanceImplant genetic resistance Encourage natural pest enemiesEncourage natural pest enemies Trap using pest pheromonesTrap using pest pheromones Use pest hormones to control pest development.Use pest hormones to control pest development. Scald themScald them
Integrated Pest ManagementIntegrated Pest Management
Crop & pests are Crop & pests are evaluated as parts evaluated as parts of an ecological of an ecological system.system.
Uses combination Uses combination of biological, of biological, cultivation, and cultivation, and chemical chemical approachesapproaches
SOLUTIONS: SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS: SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTUREAGRICULTURE
Three main ways to reduce hunger Three main ways to reduce hunger and malnutrition and the harmful and malnutrition and the harmful effects of agriculture:effects of agriculture: Slow population growth.Slow population growth. Sharply reduce poverty.Sharply reduce poverty. Develop and phase in systems of more Develop and phase in systems of more
sustainable, low input agriculture over sustainable, low input agriculture over the next few decades.the next few decades.
Fig. 13-33, p. 302
Solutions
Sustainable Organic Agriculture
More Less
High-yield polyculture
Soil erosion
Soil salinizationOrganic fertilizers
Aquifer depletionBiological pest control Overgrazing
Integrated pest management
Overfishing
Loss of biodiversity
Efficient irrigation Loss of prime
croplandPerennial crops
Crop rotationFood waste
Water-efficient crops
Subsidies for unsustainable farming and fishing
Soil conservation
Subsidies for sustainable farming and fishing
Population growth
Poverty
Sustainable Sustainable AgricultureAgriculture
Results of 22 Results of 22 year study year study comparing comparing organic and organic and conventional conventional farming.farming.
Figure 13-34Figure 13-34
Solutions: Making the Transition to Solutions: Making the Transition to More Sustainable AgricultureMore Sustainable Agriculture
More research, More research, demonstration demonstration projects, projects, government government subsidies, and subsidies, and training can training can promote more promote more sustainable organic sustainable organic agriculture.agriculture.
Figure 13-35Figure 13-35
Photo ReferencesPhoto References
http://bruinbooks.com/mosquito.htmhttp://bruinbooks.com/mosquito.htmContech Inc.Contech Inc. 2008. Web. 09 Mar. 2010. 2008. Web. 09 Mar. 2010.
<http://www.pherotech.com/page223.htm><http://www.pherotech.com/page223.htm>http://www.biconet.com/botanicals/GIFs/rotPyr2.jpghttp://www.biconet.com/botanicals/GIFs/rotPyr2.jpghttp://www.btinternet.com/~micka.wffps/pyrethrum.jpghttp://www.btinternet.com/~micka.wffps/pyrethrum.jpghttp://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/DDT-Household-Pests-http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/DDT-Household-Pests-
USDA-Mar47a.GIFUSDA-Mar47a.GIFhttp://psdblog.worldbank.org/photos/uncategorized/http://psdblog.worldbank.org/photos/uncategorized/
2007/08/20/ddt_molecule.jpg2007/08/20/ddt_molecule.jpghttp://www.actionoutdoors.org/edres/images/DDT.jpghttp://www.actionoutdoors.org/edres/images/DDT.jpghttp://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/energy/pestmgt.jpghttp://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/energy/pestmgt.jpg