TABLE OF CONTENT
Chapter One
Introduction
Chapter two
Importance of crop protection
Increased food production
Farmers grow more per unit
area
Consumers have asses to
affordable food that is safer and more nutrition
It has removed the hardship
of hand weeding
It helps to safeguard public
health by eliminating pest that cause diseases
Conclusion
References
CHAPTER ONE
Crop
protection is the term used to designate the act of investigating the causes of
crop diseases and effects of pests on crops in order to recommend a cure or a
method of protecting the crop from further damage and losses. (Ezike, k N et al).
In order words, crop protection involves every measures employed to protect the
crop against the attack of pest and diseases.
Crop
protection products and pesticides are broad terms that define all substances
used to control insects, diseases, weeds, fungi and other pest that cause
damage to plants, animals and property.
In
crop production, the major target is to achieve the potential yield of crop
species by improving the limiting factors and protecting the crop from reducing
factors. The methods adopted in the control of pest and diseases of crops
include the cultural, chemical, physical and biological control methods.
With
continuous use of agricultural land for planting and growing different types of
crops and plants, the fertility level of the soil starts to depreciate and the
soil virtually asks for additional nutrients for growing healthy crops. Crop
protection nowadays is a very mandatory step taken by agricultural experts to
protect the crop from various damages done. Agrochemical products are the best
used method for crop protection that includes a wide range of chemical products
including insecticide, herbicides, fungicides and other synthetic fertilizers
that function as chemical growth agents. These agrochemicals product are meant
for increasing agricultural productivity and eradicating poverty thereafter.
In
absence of crop protection practices the crop yields may decline drastically
and it further leads to huge financial loss to the grower who is planting the
crop. While an individual is going for complete crop protection, some
importance points must be observed in mind for better approach towards the crop
protection. Maintaining ecological balance is imperatively mandatory for maximum
possible limits for getting the best yields in crop protection. Considering the
importance of organic nutrition also leads better paradigms in crop protection
strategies.
Some
deliberately managed crop protection techniques add specific deliverability in
the protection process. It includes identification and classification of
insects and mites responsible for damaging soil and crops. Analysis of pest
biology and ecology is also an importance aspect that could be complemented as
an important aspect while putting pest control technologies in action for well
managed crop protection. It is widely estimated that around 25% of crop losses
in crops like rice, cotton, groundnut, mango and grapes are occurred due to
insect pests. So it was deliberately needed to put an effective crop protection
regime to reduce the losses done by crop damage. There available a number of
molecular tools that can be used to lessen the menace of crop damage. However
it is very important to analyze the strengths as well as weaknesses of the
tools before choosing one specific tool for the crop protection.
CHAPTER TWO
IMPORTANCE
OF CROP PROTECTION
Presently
crop protection in agricultural domain has a great importance since it is based
on agro chemical phenomenon and a challenging process that brought the crop
damage under stringent check. It has contributed through the following ways.
Increased Food Productivity: Crop protection has helped farmers to increase crop
productivity and quality and is therefore an indispensable tool for the
sustainable production of high quality food and fibers. Over the last 40 years,
crop protection products have proven to be indispensable tool in the
sustainable production of high quality food and fibres. Since their
introduction, farmers have been able to produce bigger crops anywhere between
20 and 50%. Pesticides have allowed farmers to maximize the benefits of other
inputs, which includes high quality seeds fertilizers, and precious water
resources.
Farmers Grow More Per Unit Area: The use of crop protection techniques has enables
farmers to grow more per unit area with less tillage, reducing pressures on
forests and other uncultivated land, conserving natural resources and reducing
soil erosion, Crop protection product such as pesticides brings numerous
benefits and makes a significant contribution the lifestyles we have come to
expect. These benefits are not confined to the users of pesticides, but reach the
great majority of people across the world. The general public often takes for granted
or oppose the use of pesticides, but they make possible the year-round
availability of high quality affordable food. Similarly, the environment and
wild plants, birds and animals benefit from the carefully regulated application
of chemical pesticides.
Consumers have Asses to Affordable food
that is safer and more nutrition:
Crop protections helps ensure that consumers have access to affordable food that
is safer and more nutrition. Whilst the producers of our food have benefited so
we as consumers have reaped the rewards. Our markets and stores are full of
food that is safer more nutrition and affordable than ever. Fruit and
vegetables that were ones “seasonal” are now in year-round abundance. In
developing counties, pesticides help combat the spectra of starvation and
malnutrition that kills millions every year. While it is unfortunately true
that about 500 million people are still under nourished, this number has stayed
essentially constant during a period when the world’s population doubled. The
nutritional valve of diets of low income families has increased through being
able to afford the recommended servings of fresh fruits and vegetables.
It has removed the Hardship of Hand
Weeding: Crop protection product
“pesticides” have removed the hardship of hand weeding, and given farmer
families across the world the choice to pursue education and opportunities away
from farming, so improving quality of life and living standards. While helping
to improve the economics of farming, pesticides have also made work less
arduous and labour intensive, and contributed, towards environmental
protection. In developing countries, crop protection product have reduced the
need for hand weeding and thus the all too frequent total commitment of entire
families to farm labour. Making farming more efficient has reduced
deforestation and conserved natural resources. Extensive tillage (ploughing) of
land has been reduced in favour of application of herbicides, and soil erosion
has decreased as a result. Losses of organic matter from the soil have also
decreased. Appropriate use of modern pesticide to control invasive species and
noxious weeds has been important in environmental management.
It helps to Safeguard Public Health by
Eliminating Pest that Cause Diseases:
The use of crop protection has helped to safeguard public health by controlling
or eliminating pest that cause disease and property damage. Not only are crop
protection contributing to improved diets, they also help eliminate pest that
cause human disease and property damage. Whist the spectra of insect-borne
disease such as malaria, dengue fever, lyme diseases, and West Nile virus loom
large, the use of pesticides remains the most effective method of keeping these
threats at bay. Household pesticides products used to combat termites;
cockroaches, rats, and other pest also make a big difference to everyday
quality of life for many.
CONCLUSION
Crop
protection has contributed significantly to improving quality of life. Although
often taken for granted, without these important product’s (Pesticides), food
production would decline, many fruit and vegetables would be in short supply
and prices would rise. Far more of our parklands and natural habitats would
have to be turned over of food production to meet the demands of a growing
population. Insect-borne disease such as malaria, dengue, and West Nile Virus
would proliferate unchecked. We therefore thank the scientist who has produced
many types of chemical which can be used to prevent and control these, and this
is an important area in which the science of chemistry has been used to
increase crop production.
REFERENCES
Chapman, S. R. and Carter, L. P. (1976) Crop
Production Principles and Practices W. H. Freeman.
Ezike, K.N et al
(2000) General Agriculture. Printed and published in Nigeria by cape publishers
int’ Ltd.
Protect your crop and yield more. Posted may 13th,
2009, free news on food security in Africa. www.merid.org/fs-agl.com