Any chemical or organic substance or mixture of substances intended to prevent, destroy, repel, or mitigate any pest, fungus, disease, or weed. Fungicides and herbicides are included under the definition of pesticides, as are any substances or mixture of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant, or desiccant, and any nitrogen stabilizers or fertilizer additive that is not itself a source of nutrients.
Pesticides are substances that are used to control pests. They include herbicides, insecticides, nematicides, fungicides, and many others (see table). The most common of these are herbicides, which account for approximately 50% of all pesticide use globally. Most pesticides are used as plant protection products (also known as crop protection products), which in general protect plants from weeds, fungi, or insects.
In general, a pesticide is a chemical or biological agent (such as a virus, bacterium, or fungus) that deters, incapacitates, kills, or otherwise discourages pests. Target pests can include insects, plant pathogens, weeds, molluscs, birds, mammals, fish, nematodes (roundworms), and microbes that destroy property, cause nuisance, spread disease, or are disease vectors. Pesticides thus increase agricultural yields. Along with these benefits, pesticides also have drawbacks, such as potential toxicity to humans and other species.
English
Noun
pesticides
- plural of pesticide
Dutch
Pronunciation
Noun
pesticides
- plural of pesticide
French
Noun
pesticides m
- plural of pesticide
