INSECTICIDE ALTERNATIVES vs
IN THE CURRENT ISSUE OF CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE MAGAZINE, PUT OUT BY THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, THE DEMISE OF ORGANOPHOSPHATE INSECTICIDES AND RESEARCH FOR FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVES IS DISCUSSED.
ORGANOPHOSPHATE INSECTICIDES ARE OFTEN ALSO TOXIC TO MANY NONTARGET SPECIES, INCLUDING HUMANS AND WILDLIFE, AND THEIR USES ARE BEING SEVERELY CURTAILED. SCIENTISTS CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THE RANGE OF NUMEROUS REDUCED-RISK ALTERNATIVES. SOME INCLUDE THE USE OF PHEROMONES, WHICH ARE CHEMICALS SECRETED BY INSECTS FOR COMMUNICATION, WITH THE INTENT OF DISRUPTING INSECT MATING. THE RESULT WOULD BE A REDUCTION OF THE TARGET INSECT POPULATION. ALSO SCIENTISTS ARE LOOKING AT CULTURAL CONTROLS THAT MAKE THE CROP LESS PALATABLE TO PEST INSECTS, OR FINDING LESS TOXIC, MORE PEST-SPECIFIC ALTERNATIVE INSECTICIDES, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF OTHER OPTIONS.
ORGANOPHOSPHATE INSECTICIDES ARE OFTEN ALSO TOXIC TO MANY NONTARGET SPECIES, INCLUDING HUMANS AND WILDLIFE, AND THEIR USES ARE BEING SEVERELY CURTAILED. SCIENTISTS CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THE RANGE OF NUMEROUS REDUCED-RISK ALTERNATIVES. SOME INCLUDE THE USE OF PHEROMONES, WHICH ARE CHEMICALS SECRETED BY INSECTS FOR COMMUNICATION, WITH THE INTENT OF DISRUPTING INSECT MATING. THE RESULT WOULD BE A REDUCTION OF THE TARGET INSECT POPULATION. ALSO SCIENTISTS ARE LOOKING AT CULTURAL CONTROLS THAT MAKE THE CROP LESS PALATABLE TO PEST INSECTS, OR FINDING LESS TOXIC, MORE PEST-SPECIFIC ALTERNATIVE INSECTICIDES, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF OTHER OPTIONS.
