ABSTRACT
Pesticides have become an integral part of modern farming, with most crops receiving at least one and usually many more applications. In the UK, cereals are sprayed on average over 6 times during the year (CPA, 2000a). As the value of a crop increases, so does the amount of pesticide used with 10-15 applications per year being normal for some vegetables and fruit. Many of these spray applications include more than one 'active ingredient'. Each active ingredient is, by design, a biocide whose value lies in its ability to kill organisms (specifically those pests, diseases and weeds that are noxious or unwanted in agricultural production).
