Importance of agricultural chemicals and their role in farming community
1. IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS
AND THEIR ROLE IN FARMING COMMUNITY
Submitted By
Sushma Sannidi
PhD Scholar
Department of Agronomy
PJTSAU
2. DEFINITION:
An agrochemical is any substance that humans use to help
in the management an agricultural ecosystem.
A chemical which can safely be applied to a crop in order to
give the farmer:
• Higher yields
• Better quality produce
• Reliability
• Ease of harvest
3.
4. • Agrochemicals include
1. fertilizers,
2. liming and acidifying agents (which are designed to
change the pH),
3. soil conditioners,
4. Pesticides and herbicides
5. chemicalsused in the raising of livestock such as antibiotics and
hormones.
5. FERTILIZER :
• A fertilizer is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is
applied to soils or to plant tissues to supply one more plant
nutrients essential to the growth of plants.
• Many sources of fertilizer exist, both natural and industrially
produced.
6. CLASSIFICATION OF FERTILIZERS:
• They are classified according to whether they provide a single nutrient
(e.g., K, P, or N), in which case they are classified as "straight fertilizers."
"Multinutrient fertilizers“/ "complex fertilizers" provide two or more
nutrients, for example N and P.
• Fertilizers are also sometimes classified as inorganic and organic.
Inorganic fertilizers exclude carbon-containing materials except ureas.
Inorganic are sometimes called synthetic fertilizers since various chemical
treatments are required for their manufacture. Organic fertilizers are
usually (recycled) plant- or animal-derived matter.
9. Liming And Acidifying Agents
• Agricultural soils are commonly too acidic or
too alkaline for the optimal growth of many
crop species. When this is the case,
chemicals may be added to the soil to
adjust its pH to a more appropriate range.
• Acidic soils are commonly neutralized by
adding calcium-containing minerals.
• Alkaline soils can be acidified by adding
sulfur compounds, which generate acidity
10. Soil Conditioners
• Soil conditioners are organic-rich materials that are sometimes added to soils to
improve aeration and water-holding capacity, both of which are very important
aspects of soil quality.
• Various materials can be utilized as soil conditioners, including peat, crop
residues, livestock manure etc.
• Some examples include biochar, bone meal, blood meal, coffee grounds,
compost, compost tea, coir, manure, straw, peat, sphagnum moss, vermiculite,
sulfur, lime, hydroabsorbant polymers, and biosolids.
11.
12. PESTICIDES/ INSECTICIDES:
• Insecticides protect crops before and after harvest from potentially devastating
pests that threaten yield and quality.
• Some insects are chewing pests (e.g. caterpillars & beetles) which feed on
plant material itself (leaves, fruits, roots, etc.). This leads to a reduction of the
photosynthetic area and yield. The damage caused can seriously weaken the
plant. They can also cause serious loss during material storage.
• Others are sucking pests which feed on sap (e.g. Aphids). This method of
feeding can lead to serious viral transmission that can destroy a crop
13. Herbicides:
• ‘Weed’ is a term which describes any undesired vegetation and it consequently
covers a very large spectrum of plants
• Weeds are generally categorised as grasses or broad leaf weeds
• The presence of weeds in a field plot can dramatically reduce yield
• Herbicides control weeds that compete with crops for light and nutrients
• Herbicides can also prevent soil erosion and water loss by replacing or reducing
the need for cultivation
14.
15. Plant growth hormones:
• Plant hormones are signal molecules produced within plants,
that occur in extremely low concentrations.
• Plant hormones control all aspects of growth and
development.
• These hormones are naturally synthesized in the plant
itself and also are artificially synthesized in the
laboratory.
• Eg: Auxins, gibberillins, cytokinins,abscissic acid, ethylene.
16. FUNGICIDES :
• Fungicides play a key role in keeping a crop healthy
from fungal disease which can have severe adverse effects
on crop yield and quality.
• Eg: During the Irish potato famine in the 1840s, 1 million
people died and another1 million people left Ireland.
The famine was caused by Phytophthora infestans (late
potato blight)
• Fungicides are described as broad spectrum(e.g.
effective on a wide range on fungi across the
taxonomical groups) or specific (e.g. mildew-specific or
oomycete-specific fungicides)
17. Based on the type of attack of the organism, fungicide can be:
• Preventative: Prevents the establishment of infection
• Curative: Inhibits the development of an established infectiowhich is not
showing visible symptoms of disease
• An eradicant: Inhibits the development of an established infection which is
showing visible symptoms
• An antisporulant: Prevents or reduces sporulation without necessarily
stopping vegetative growth
18. ROLE OF AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS IN INDIA:
• India is the fourth largest producer of agrochemicals globally, after
United States, Japan and China.
• The Indian agrochemicals market grew at a rate of 11% from USD 1.22
billion in FY08 to an estimated USD 1.36 billion in FY09.
• India’s agrochemicals
• consumption is one of the lowest in the world with per hectare
consumption of just 0.58 Kg compared to US (4.5 Kg/ha) and Japan
(11 Kg/ha).
• In India, paddy accounts for the maximum share of pesticide
consumption, around 28%, followed by cotton (20%).
27. The first green revolution was fairly successful in putting the country on
a path to self-sufficiency of food grains. However it had certain
limitations in that it could not help achieve absolute sustainability in
agriculture:
• Direct impact on humans.
• Impact through food commodities.
• Impact on environment.
• Surface water contamination.
• Ground water contamination.
• Soil contamination.
• Effect on soil fertility (beneficial soil microorganisms).
• Contamination of air, soil, and non-target vegetation.
• Non-target organisms.
30. CONCLUSION:
• The global population currently stands at 7.2 billion, and is expected
to rise to 9.3 billion by 2050.
• This will lead to an increased demand for food. The dietary needs in
emerging countries will change as economy grows.
• To meet the food & nutrition needs of a growing population requires
a sustainable approach that puts thrust on increasing productivity
against the background of lower yields & decreasing farm sizes.
• It requires a push from all stakeholders – the farmer, the government
and the agrochemical/agro industry collectively so that the changing
needs of the society are met.
• Around 25% of the global crop output is lost due to attacks by pests,
weeds and diseases which doesn't augur well for farming given the
critical challenges ahead and thus agrochemicals have an increasing
role to play.
