Pesticides

According to the International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management (FAO and WHO, 2014), pesticides are defined as “any substance, or mixture of substances of chemical or biological ingredients intended for repelling, destroying or controlling any pest, or regulating plant growth”. Pesticides include, but are not limited to:

1. Herbicide; substance to kill/control unwanted vegetation, such as weeds and invasive species. Most often used before or during planting. Examples include 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid), glyphosate, atrazine, and dicamba. Herbicide is potentially hazardous to human health. If you’re exposed, it can cause irritation to your eyes, nose, skin and throat. Some herbicides can also cause DNA damages, disrupt endocrine system, and cause neurological damages.
2. Insecticides; substance to kill/control insects. Some insecticides target the nervous system, while others repel them or damage their exoskeletons, or some other methods. Examples of insecticides include acephate, malathion, glyphosate, and organophosphates.
3. Plant growth regulators; chemical used to control plant growth and development of plants, commonly used to increase branching, shoot and root growth, or fruit production. Examples of plant growth regulators include Auxins, Gibberellin (GA),Crytokinin, Ethylene, and Abscisic Acid (ABA).
4. Fungicides; chemical substance used to kill fungi or prevent the growth of fungi. It is commonly used to protect plants from fungi that can cause rust, black spots on leaves, mildew, and various other issues on plants. Examples of fungicides include mancozeb, sulfur, maneb, and captan.
5. Piscicide; chemical substance used poisonous to fish. It is used to eliminate a dominant and unwanted species of fish in a body of water to increase other species. Examples of piscicide include TFM, saponins, rotenone, niclosamide, and Antimycin.
6. Animal repellent; repellent used to deter animal such as deer, skunks, racoons, mice, rats, rabbits, and squirrels. Repellents acts on animals by causing short-term harm to them such as stinging eyes and blindness, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, and confusion. Examples of animal repellents include cayenne pepper, chili pepper, black pepper, mint, garlic, menthol, eucalyptus, and cast oil.
7. Rodenticides; substance used to kill rats, mice, and other rodents. Most rodenticides are anticoagulant, which means they reduce the ability of the animals’ blood to clot. Exposed animals will then bleed internally and die. Examples of rodenticides include warfarin, bromadiolone, brodifacoum, chlorophacinone, difenacoum, diphacinone, and strychnine.
8. Miticides (acaricides); substance that kills mites or ticks. Miticides works by direct contact and application. Examples of miticides include azobenzene, tetradifon, and dicofol.
9. Molluscicides; substance used to kill mollusks, such as snails and slugs. Molluscicides work by changing the water balance of the animals’ body. Examples of molluscicides include metals like copper sulfate and aluminum sulfate, and metaldehyde.
10. Nematicides; substance used to kill parasitic nematode worms such as roundworms and threadworms. Nematicides works by releasing the active ingredient. Examples of nematicides include mocap, velum, Nimitz, and vydate.
11. Bactericide; substance used to kill bacteria. It can be either disinfectants, antiseptics, or antibiotics. Examples of disinfectant include alcohol, chlorine, iodine, sodium hydroxide. Antiseptic includes alcohol, peroxide, phenols, and iodine. Antibiotics include penicillins, aminoglycosides, and tetracyclines