Pesticides in Rural Prosperity: Perceptions and Ground Realities (Part 3)

Option ahead to mitigate threat

Due to misuse and excessive use, keeping ethics at bay, with least care for humanity, hazards to man and animal, & environmental pollution with residues accumulating in atmosphere, soil are ascribed to pesticides. Why we blame pesticides? Should pesticides be kept at bay or we amend ourselves? Pesticides play a crucial role in protecting plants from ravages of insect-pests, diseases and weeds. Their indiscriminate use has undoubtedly has been responsible for disruption of ecosystem creating imbalance between pest and antagonist, trigger resistance development, and socio-economic aspect. It must be, however, remembered that pesticides are aid to agriculture and not poison. Srivastava (1999) has rightly said that ‘pesticides are necessary evil in plant protection’, and therefore they cannot be kept at bay.  Pesticide use in India and elsewhere has supported food security. In fact most of the hazards enunciated earlier arose due to poor knowledge, misuse and abuse of pesticides. It is therefore essential to sensitize users with various aspects with pesticide storage and use (Srivastava, 1998). Medicines recommended by the doctors too have side-effects and in certain cases over-use of medicines than the prescribed protection advisors therefore require organizing frequently pesticide day or “Pesticide Week”. Medicines too can prove lethal, but yet patients go as per advice of doctors.

Why in case of plant medicines, people instead of consulting plant doctors prefer consulting pesticide dealers who provide pesticide on credit and for his gain motivate the growers some other chemicals/growth hormone in getting best control which virtually turns out to be illusion. Pesticide Safety Campaign from time to time as initiated by Haryana Agricultural University in early 1980s need to be organized to bring awareness. Unsatisfactory control of many pests and diseases is not exclusively due to resistance development but also because of substandard ad spurious pesticides and therefore plant protection personnel entrusted with quality control are required to exercise utter vigil.

Integrated pest management

However, to minimize hazards to prevent ecological disruption and making pest control cost-effective, ecologically sound, and socially acceptable a balance approach can be adopted, relying solely on pesticides by integrating with other measures of control – the IPM approach or what in common parlance is known as Holistic approach. This has been suitably projected by van Embden and Peakall (1996) in their book ‘Beyond Silent Spring’. The last chapter of Silent Spring, ‘The other road’ describes Rachel Carson’s view, which modestly hints toward IPM, although the concept of IPM was first proposed by Stern et al., (1959 but IPM caught worldwide attention only after UNCED at Rio de Janeirio in June, 1992. IPM encourages the most compatible and ecologically sound combination of available pest suppression techniques to keep pest population below economically damaging levels.

IPM, contrary to popular belief, is not doing away with pesticides altogether, but in practice it has become synonymous with biological control. This is only because great reliance has been placed on natural enemies in IPM.  Since modern pesticides are more environment-friendly it would be imperative to consider inclusion of pesticides along with resistant varieties, and bio-control agents to improve IPM package. To minimize the hazards of pesticides there is growing awareness to reduce the consumption of pesticides worldwide. In India initiatives have been taken by ICAR, SAUs, and National Institute of Plant Health Management, GOI, Hyderabad, which has also initiated a Plant Health News Letter to strengthen IPM. The IPMnet NEWS from Oregon State University, USA provides worldwide development on IPM. Germany in its effort to assist growers to reduce pesticide use over the oncoming years has refined the theoretical concept of necessary minimum (NM), which defines a level of pesticide above which further use is unnecessary. The term arises from the German definition of IPM as spelled out in the Plant Protection Act, 2012. The Act states “IPM” is a combination of measures-with priority consideration of biological and biotechnical measures, resistant cultivars, cropping and cultural control measures—where the use of chemical plant protection products is restricted to the necessary minimum. Undoubtedly IPM is receiving worldwide attention and shall certainly help in protecting environment from all round hazards, created by man due to lack of knowledge, ignorance, or misguidance by pesticide dealers from pesticides by its bare minimum use. However, one should not be misguided by environmental lobby to keep pesticide at bay, resulting in huge losses and creating food insecurity reminding us of ship to mouth concept. 

Biotechnology

This is an innovative technology involving Bacillus thuringiensis aimed at producing varieties resistant to insect -pests and diseases, or the purpose with which the variety has been evolved. So far in India Bt cotton could complete a decade. In view of safety concern, varieties for human consumption have not been allowed and government India imposed moratorium on commercial release of Bt brinjal. It is therefore important to set up a proper bio-safety system for GM crops/transgenic but so far no variety developed, has been allowed for testing under field condition.

Epilogue

Finally I would not hesitate in expressing my concern that for a healthy life of all citizens, we have to ensure an environment, free from smoke emanating from various factories, burning of litter including polythene in the early morning by rickshaw-puller, car-washers etc. But one should not have blinkered vision towards pesticides, and it must be clearly understood that in the event of outbreak of diseases and pests, pesticides can only offer respite, and therefore their importance cannot be ruled out. The plant doctor needs to update his knowledge on fungicides and their compatibility with pesticides and other agro-chemicals. Fortunately so called ‘Dirty Twelve’ –known to be highly dangerous do not figure in the list of recommended pesticides   world- wide, Fortunately recent  generation fungicides by virtue of having higher LD50,values are not only safe but offer unique control of plant diseases in small amount, and are environment- and eco-friendly. Meanwhile repeated use of systemic insecticides and fungicides has to be avoided, and use of novel fungicides, bio-pesticides need to be promoted. Simultaneously the government has to exercise implementation of The Insecticide Act, 1968and Insecticide Rule 1971 in all earnest. What is important is the rational use of pesticides with right intention keeping in view mankind; yes indiscriminate use of pesticides has to be avoided.

It has become a practice particularly in Haryana and Punjab that optimum use of pesticide is profitable, to the extent that money lenders also store/sale pesticides from their shop where cereals, sugar and flour etc are sold, which is prohibited in Central Insecticides Rule Therefore farmers must refrain from unnecessary application of pesticides. I will go a step ahead and would like that to check unnecessary application of pesticides, government should bring legislation, that no pesticides can be sold until recommended by experts (Government may bring legislation for Registration of all professionals well versed with common problem;  identified by their Registration number). Such a provision would help in unnecessary sale/use of pesticides.

As savior of plants and environment I call upon readers/users to use pesticide with restraint and remember: "Jesus Christ may have forgiven his killers saying that they did not know what they were doing. But our future generation will not forgive our farmers who are destroying the soil fertility by using indiscriminately inorganic fertilizers and Pesticides destroying bio-diversity.” The future of mankind is dark. The time is running out for the humans and other forms of life unless we wake up now and mend our ways. "

It is therefore concluded that though pesticides are major component of management strategy, but need to be used with care. The application of pesticides, however, could offer respite and prove rewarding in the event of diseases outbreak. However in the interest of man, animal and environment lay greater reliance be laid on Integrated Pest Management for prevention of plant pests and avoiding hazards to man and environment

Acknowledgement

Thanks to Christina for moderation, meeting the requirement of readers and practitioners

References

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