ABSTRACT
Chemical pesticides have contributed to the control of crop pests and increased production of food grains. These chemicals still continue to play essential roles in agriculture and public health. Pesticides are required for the protection of plants, plant products, and stored grain and are used in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, and home gardens, as well as in the production of plentiful food and control of vectorborne diseases. The Federal Fungicide, Insecticide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) denes a pesticide as “any instrument or contrivance (other than a rearm) which is intended for trapping, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest or any other form of plant or animal life.” In fact, the term pesticide includes a range of chemical substances and products that are used for the control of a variety of pests. Never before has the public had access to such a variety of pesticides; however, they have potential adverse effects on health and the environment, which can be aggravated by the conditions of use in many countries.
