Question

Narendra spread over dose of pesticides on this cotton crop. Ramesh says it is a hazard to biodiversity and crop yield. Can you support Ramesh? How?

Answer 1

Hint: The use of pesticides limits the soil's general biodiversity. There is better soil consistency if there are no chemicals in the soil, and this makes for higher water absorption, which is important for plants to thrive.

Complete Answer:
- Chemical agents that are supposed to destroy pests are pesticides. In general, a pesticide is a chemical or a biological agent like a bacterium, virus, antimicrobial that deters, incapacitates, destroys, pests.
- The use of such pesticides is so widespread that it is often considered that the word pesticide is synonymous with a plant safety commodity. It is widely used to eradicate or control agricultural pests that can destroy crops and livestock and decrease farm productivity.
- Spraying high pesticide dosages will cause harm to plants, which is very bad for biodiversity and crop yield. These pesticides are particularly environmentally harmful and also for other species that exist in the environment.
- Water pollution is also caused by these pesticides. These poisonous chemicals are meant for intentional release into the environment. A very significant number of pesticides enter a destination other than their target, even if each pesticide is intended to destroy a certain insect.
- Instead, they go into the air, into the sea, into the sediment, and end up in our food. Pesticides have been associated with risks to human health, from short-term symptoms such as headaches and nausea to chronic effects such as cancer and reproductive damage.

Note: Pesticides are not creations of modern years. Pesticides were used by many ancient cultures to protect their crops from pests and insects. Elemental sulphur was used by ancient Sumerians to shield their crops from insects. In comparison, mediaeval farmers experimented with arsenic-based pesticides, contributing to traditional crops. Arsenic and mercury compounds were used by the Chinese to combat body lice and other pests. The Greeks and Romans, respectively, used oil, ash, sulphur and other products to shield themselves from various pests, their livestock and their crops.