Moreover, additional disadvantages of using pesticides include its danger to other organisms, as it is toxic. Ideally, the pesticide should be selective and only kill the “target” organism (3). Older pesticides are persistent, where the substances are broken down gradually, and remain in the bodies of insects a long time after application. Insecticides are generally non-specific and may kill any insect with contact; therefore, unintended insects such as bees and butterflies are killed. This creates “knock-on-effects” where, in extreme cases, there are so few insects that are potentially useful in the environment, resulting in the failure of plants to get insect pollinated. Another example includes, the pesticide spraying on aphids will eliminate them, however, its natural predators are deprived of food; the ladybird population will suddenly decline and affect the rest of the food chain.
Alternatively, a way to overcome these problems with using pesticides to control the pest population is to consider biological control instead of chemical control. Biological control is the use of one species of organism to reduce the numbers of another harmful species of organism (3). An example is to use ladybirds to kill aphids, as it is their natural prey. Although biological control is not completely effective as some crop damage still occurs, however, it is more environmentally and ecologically friendly. Biological control is more focused, as a specific predator preys upon the pest. Nature and the environment is used to safely participate in getting rid of the pest, and does not involve the use of toxic chemicals. Once the biological control is introduced, the control organism establishes itself and does not have to be re-introduced, where the pest cannot become resistant. This is the problem with pesticides, as the pests are constantly developing resistance, and new pesticides with stronger doses have to be applied, which is very harmful to the environment. However, biological control is slow acting (1), and there is often some time between introducing the control organism and a significant reduction in the pests. Also, it does not exterminate the pest completely, and only keeps the pest population at a low level.
Another solution to the problems of pesticides also stems from biological control, where Jaggery made from sugar cane has been used commonly for pest control, and the drinks “Pepsi” and “Cola” are being used to achieve the same results. A BBC News article (2004) comments: “The drinks are effectively sugar syrups and when they are poured on crops they attract ants which in turn feed on the larva of insects (4)”. Additionally, the article also suggests that a scientist has a different explanation: "All that is happening is that plants get a direct supply of carbohydrates and sugar which in turn boosts the plants' immunity and the plantation on the whole ends up yielding a better crop (4)". This article demonstrates that biological control is cheaper and less damaging to the environment in contrast to chemical control, which although very powerful, the impacts on the environment is hazardous.
Alternatively, another solution to the dangers pesticides create upon the environment can be to introduce the availability of Genetically Modified crops. Genetically Modified Crops are made for many different purposes, the main one being to create a food able to survive being sprayed with harmful chemicals like pesticides (5). However, there are several heath hazards.
In conclusion, potential dangers from the use of pesticide must be evaluated against the advantages of improved crop quality and yield as well as the availability of disease-preventing fresh fruits and vegetables that the use of pesticides has made possible (5). Additionally, there has to be a consideration of the use of biological control such as ladybirds and ants against aphids, which provide a safer way to battle pests than the usage of chemical control.
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