PEST & METHODS OF PEST CONTROL

Pest is an undesired animal or plant species, and pesticides are chemicals derived from synthetic
and natural sources effective in small concentrations against pest.

Different types of pests are:

1. Fungi & Viruses- Ascochyta atropae, tobacco mosaic virus etc.

2. Insects- Flea beetle

3. Weeds- Parthenium

4. Non-insect pest

Non-insect pests are of 2 types.

a. Vertebrates- rats, birds, rabbits, deer.

b. Invertebrates- Crabs, snails, mites.

METHODS OF PEST CONTROL

Mechanical method-It employs manual labour along with different devices for collection and
destruction of pest.

The simple techniques used are:

 Pruning
 Hand picking
 Burning
 Trapping of pests.

A proper approach is made for collection and destruction of eggs, larvae, pupae and adults of
insects.
The better way for protection from rodents like rats is construction of concrete warehouses. The
warehouses should have metal reinforcement corners on window frames. The rat and mouse
traps are also used.

The method adopted for trapping flying insects is flavored attractants placed in funnel shaped
container, which is formulated with rose oil, anise oil etc mixed with sawdust. The insects can
easily get an entry in the trap but find it extremely hard to come out.

Agricultural method: It covers advanced plant breeding techniques capable of inducing genetic
manipulations resulting in production of pest resistant species. It has achieved much success in
producing hybrid varieties which are resistant to fungal and bacterial attack as compared to
limited success with insects. The systemic insecticides have been developed which are absorbed
through the roots and reach to leaves by which all the foliage portion becomes distasteful for
insects.

Another aspect in agricultural control is ploughing which should be sufficiently deep to eradicate
weeds as well as early stages of insects. If a plant is found out to be flavoured by insects as major
source of food, the land under cultivation of such plant should be subjected to crop rotation.

Another method for checking supply of food to insects is by changing the environment which in
many cases may lead to obstruction in their life cycle. Proper drainage serves this purpose to a
great extent.

Biological control: This method is practiced by combating the pests mostly the insects, with
other living organisms. The latter is frequently the parasite from. If this method is properly
designed it may emerge as an effective, safe, and economic method of pest control.

The chemical substances produced and released by some female insects can elicit a sexual
response from the opposite sex which could be properly exploited for biological control of pests.
Such substances are called as sex pheromones. Example-7,8-epoxy-2 methyl octadecane from
gypsy moth.

One of the experiments worth noting is about screw worms. The large numbers of laboratory
reared male insects are sterilized by exposure to radioactivity with such a dose which shall not
affect other physiological activities of that insect. Such irradiated insects are released in nature in
large number so that they are enough to oust the normal males existing in that area during
competition for mating with virgin females. This leads to ineffective mating and sharp decline in
progeny. There are several examples of biological control such as employing of Australian lady
beetle, ladybug to feed on damaging insect called cottony cushion scale insects on citrus crop, rat
terriers for rats and various birds for insect pests. The larger harmful insects are many a time
destroyed by hatching the eggs of certain types of flies and wasps.

Chemical control: The control of pests is brought about with a use of chemical pesticides which
include insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and rodenticides. Because of toxic effects of all such
chemicals used as pesticides, their use is regulated by the insecticides act in India, Federal
insecticide, fungicide and rodenticide act in United States and the agriculture (Poisonous
Substances) regulations in UK.

The chemical pesticides are further classified as rodenticide, insecticides, acaricides, fungicides,
herbicides, bactericides etc.

 Rodenticides: Warfarin, Strychnine, Arsenic trioxide, Red squill etc.

 Insecticides: DDT, Gammaxene, Sodium arsenate etc.
 Acaricides: Tetradifon, Chlorobenzoate
 Fungicide: Bordeaux mixture, Chlorophenols, Quaternary ammonium compounds etc.
 Herbicides:2,4-Dichlorophenoxy Acetic acid, calcium arsenate

The insecticides are applied to vegetative parts for protective and eradicative activity in the
form of spray, solution, suspensions, aerosol, and fine dust. The fumigation keeps away the
insect from the area under the influence of insect repellents.

An ideal insecticide is required to satisfy the following parameters:

 It should be nontoxic and non-injurious to medicinal plants and human beings.

 It should be selective in action and highly toxic to insects in small concentrations.
 The pesticide should be stable under ordinary conditions of storage, noninflammable,
noncorrosive, and free from obnoxious odours.
 It should be noncumulative in soil and should possess stability on treated surface.
 MODE OF ACTION OF SOME PESTICIDES

CHEMICAL COMPUND BIOLOGICAL EFFECT

EFFECT ON ANIMALS
Organophosphorus compounds and Inhibition of acetyl cholinesterase
carbamates
Chlorinated hydrocarbons and Neurotoxication
Pyrethryoids
Nicotinoids Inhibition of neuromuscular junction
EFFECT ON PLANTS
Carbamates, Substituted urea Inhibition of photosynthesis
Carbamates Inhibition of oxidative
phosphorylation
3-Amino-1,2,4-Triazole Inhibition of chlorophyll synthesis