eChapters

8.1 Pest Risk Analysis

Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) is a form of risk analysis conducted by regulatory plant health authorities to identify the appropriate phytosanitary measures required to protect plant resources against new or emerging pests and regulated pests of plants or plant products. Specifically pest risk analysis is a term used within the International Plant Protection Conventions (IPPC) (Article 2.1) and is defined within the glossary of phytosanitary terms as “the process of evaluating biological or other scientific and economic evidence to determine whether an organism is a pest, whether it should be regulated, and the strength of any phytosanitary measures to be taken against it. In a phytosanitary context, the term plant pest, or simply pest, refers to any species, strain or biotype of plant, animal or pathogenic agent injurious to plants or plant products and includes plant pathogenic fungi, bacteria, fungus-like organisms, viruses, nematodes and virus like organisms as well as insects, mites and weeds.

ABSTRACT

A methodology for depiction of Brown Plant Hopper (BPH) pest incidence on rabi rice crop using Remote Sensing (RS) data was attempted. The reflectance and geographically registered RS images of Feb.12, Mar.13, and April 30, 2009  as well as Feb.23 and March 14, 2007 were used to classify the Godavari district for generation of rabi rice crop area map. The rice crop map thus generated was used as an overlaying layer of rice crop mask in GIS to derive other RS based indices described below over this crop mask. Land Surface Temperature (LST) data product for rice growing areas was generated using rice crop mask. Normalised Difference Water Index (NDWI), Temperature Vegetation Dryness Index (TVDI) onices derived from MODIS data and NDWI from AWiFS data were correlated with pest count data for two years 2007 and 2009.

The tropical fruit guava is prone to a number of diseases, pests, and disorders. Aphids, fruit flies, and scale insects are common pests; on the other hand, pathogens, such as bacteria and fungus, can cause illnesses like wilt and anthracnose. Deficiencies in some nutrients can occur and have an impact on the general health of plants. For effective control, integrated pest management must be put into practise along with routine inspections and prompt treatments. Maintaining a healthy guava crop involves disease-resistant cultivars, balanced fertilisation, and good orchard cleanliness. A vigorous guava crop is ensured by minimising the influence of diseases disorders, and pests via vigilant and preventative methods.
10.1 Weed control
Weeds should be kept under control throughout the year because fruit harvesting is done throughout the year, for the easy mobility of labour. For this purpose, spray Gramoxone @ 6ml/litre of water during March, July and September. To control perennial weeds in March, spray may be done with Round up (Glyphosate) @ 10 ml/litre. Spray of these weedicides should be carried out on a calm day to avoid the damage to guava foliage.
10.2 Insect pests
10.2.1 Fruit fly
Fruit fly, the serious threat to guava production particularly during rainy season, lays eggs singly in ripened fruits just below the epicarp which eventually results in appearance of minute depression with dark punctures. Maggots after hatching feed on pulp and make fruit unfit for consumption. They pupate in soil and takes about 12 to 18 days to complete its life cycle during July- August (main season).

The term “plant pest”, mainly applied to insect micropredators of plants, has a specific definition in terms of the International Plant Protection Convention and phytosanitary measures worldwide. A pest is any species, strain or biotype of plant, animal, or pathogenic agent injurious to plants or plant products. Worldwide, agricultural pest impacts are increased by higher degrees of interconnectedness. This is due to the increased risk that any particular pest problem anywhere in the world (as a system) will propagate across the entire system.

Synnoyms : Pseudorinderpest, Goat plaque, Goat catarrhal fever

It is a severe rinderpest like disease of small ruminants viz., sheep, goat and wild ruminants characterized by pyrexia, catarrhal inflammation of ocular and nasal mucous membrane, erosive stomatitis, enteritis and pneumonia. The disease is also called goat plaque, kata, pseudorinderpest and  stomatitis pneumo-enteritis complex. The current and standard name of the disease was chosen by the International Workshop of the disease in Ibadan, Nigeria, 1980.

Introduction 

In the thirst of modernization and industrialization man has contributed pollution to the life and ecology of plants, animals and microbes. Increased demand for food and fiber has lead to the chemicalization of agriculture we have reached to such a stage that modern agriculture is dependent on high yielding varieties, which can only be grown under the influence of fertilizers and pesticides. Pesticides are the man made chemicals which are being used to produce enough cheap food. In India, 90,000 MT of technical grade pesticides are used annually to control pests and plant diseases. The pesticides are classified as insecticides, fungicides, weedicides, herbicides, nematodicides and rodenticides; of which insecticides constitutes 77% of the total pesticides used in different agricultural and animal husbandry practices and in public health operations.

In agricultural practices pesticide application is an inevitable factor for maintaining high crop productivity and is currently an integral part of modern farming. Pests (insects, microbes and weeds) cause approximately 20-30% loss in crop production so making pesticide use indispensable for crop protection.
 
Pesticide : A pesticide may be defined as ‘any agent or chemical or a mixture of chemicals/ substances intended to prevent, destroy, repel or irritate one or more pest populations causing economic loss in crop production’. Worldwide more than 450 active pesticide chemicals formulated into more than 10,000 commercial products are currently used by farmers. The most worrying aspect is that about two-third of the 800 chemicals tested so far have been found involved in causing or promoting tumor in rodents. Yet more than 50,000 synthetic chemicals/formulations remain untested so far.

Definition

Adjuvants are chemicals incorporated in a pesticide formulation or added to the tank mix, to increase effectiveness and safety. They generally have no effect on pests in themselves.

The Effectiveness of a Pesticide in Controlling a Disease and Pest Depends on

Using the right pesticide for the target disease & pest.

Applying the pesticide at the right time.

Applying the pesticide in the right amount.

Applying the pesticide to the right place.

Pesticide Formulation

Pesticide formulation is the process by which the pesticide is put into a form which can be easily produced, stored, transported and applied by practical methods in order to achieve a safe, convenient economic and effective method of pest control.

When a pesticide active ingredient (a.i) is manufactured, it is not in a usable form as it may not mix well with water or may be unstable. Therefore, it is mixed with other compounds to improve its effectiveness, safety, handling and storage. These other compounds can include solvents, mineral clays, stickers, wetting agents, or other adjuvant. The mixture of a.i. and inert (inactive) ingredients is called a pesticide formulation. Some formulations are premixed while others must be mixed before use. A single a.i. is often made into several formulations.

The label on the pesticide container is the principal source of information about a product. The label has all the fundamental information that is required. If you need information about a pesticide, do not rely on memory as it is very easy to make a mistake. Read the label every time before using a pesticide. The lay-out of the pesticide label varies between countries. However, every label on a pesticide container from a reputable manufacturer or source will have the following information:

The knowledge on the fate of pesticides, after application in the environment is useful to research workers associated with their safe and effective use. It is important to know whether a xenobioticwillpersist orwill be inactivated. Frequently persistence is desirable for sustained control. However, for many cases, rapid detoxificationof the compound may be required to avoid cumulative effects. Most of the pesticides are not very soluble in water andtheir oxidation orhydrolysis (or both)leads to formation of polar groups. Such reactions are called primary metabolic reactions, often, but not always. Theproducts ofthese primary reactions undergo secondary changes whereby they are conjugated with endogenous substances to form molecules that are more readily excreted. In higher animals, these changes facilitate the transportation of metabolites of pesticides in blood, which in turn leads to their eventual excretion.

A pesticide may be referred to by several different names, which can cause confusion. The same pesticide may be referred to by a number of different names, or different pesticides may have similar names.

Key Points

• When pesticides, which are chemicals used to manage a pest, impact non-target organisms like humans and animals, it's known as pesticide poisoning.

• Pesticides have the ability to contaminate the surrounding area and the ecosystem.

Introduction

Pesticides are chemical chemicals that are applied to destroy pests. These insecticides have the capacity to contaminate the surrounding area and the ecosystem. Pesticides can also be hazardous to a wide range of other creatures, including fish, birds, beneficial insects, and non-target plants, in addition to having a toxic effect on insects and weeds.

Etiology

Today's society faces several issues due to the overuse of pesticides in fields and food. Products may deteriorate if they are kept in partially filled containers for extended periods of time or exposed, whether intentionally or unintentionally, to high temperatures. It is dangerous to store chemicals anywhere other than their original container since the identification and label instructions are lost. These products can have severe effects on people or animals if they come into unintended touch with them. It can be extremely risky to mix substances or use them in unapproved combinations. In order to increase the efficacy of certain pesticide formulations, such as pyrethrins, pyrethroids, and d-limonene, piperonyl butoxide is added. It lessens the chemical's breakdown in the body of the insect or animal, but it also increases the pesticide's toxicity to both the pest and the host animal.

Pesticide Authorities

Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee

In India, the central pesticide board and registration committee oversee the import, production, sale, transportation, distribution, and use of insecticides. Pesticides in India are regulated by the following two government organisations Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee CIBRC and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI ).

Central Insecticide Board (CIB)

• The Central Insecticides Board advises the central and state governments on technical issues arising from the administration of this act, as well as carrying out the other tasks given to it by or under this act.

Scope

This method is suitable for most OPs, OCs, SPs, and herbicides residue analysis.

Apparatus required

• Homogenizer
• Centrifuge
• Nitrogen evaporator

Principle

Acetone is used for extraction the most nonionic pesticide residue, and residue are partitioned from acetone to dichloromethane/hexane phase. After removing traces dichloromethane, final extract is made up with acetone. This extract can be determined by GC with selective detectors. Further for organochlorine and synthetic pyrethroids extract should be cleaned up using florisil column. And for determination organophosphate extract should undergo to charcoal-celite cleanup.

For the determination carbamates, the extract is subjected to C-18 solid phase cartridge clean up.

Principle

Pesticide residues in milk are derived from the intake of pesticide contaminated feed and fodder.

Scope

This method is suitable for most OPs, OCs, SPs, and herbicides residue analysis.

Principle

Pesticide residues are extracted from soil using a mixture of acetone/water in a soxhlet apparatus for 7-8 hours. This extract can be determined directly by GLC.

Scope: This method is suitable for most OPs, OCs, SPs, and herbicides residue analysis.

Pesticides are an undeniable part of modern life, used to protect everything from flower gardens to agricultural crops from specific pests. Pesticides have contributed significantly to improving quality of life and safeguarding the environment. Some 20 to 40 percent of the world’s potential crop production is already lost annually because of the effects of weeds, pests and diseases (according to the FAO reports) (www.CropLifeAmerica.mht). In addition to increasing crop yields, crop protection products used in stored products can also prolong the viable life of products, prevent huge post-harvest losses from pests and diseases and protect food safety for eating.