ABSTRACT
This chapter covers a brief history of pesticides from the first generation that included botanicals and inorganics, followed by the synthetic revolution that introduced organochlorine pesticides, organophosphates, carbamates, neonicotinoids, and finally the latest is biopesticides. A case study (minutes of the Department of Pesticide Regulation meeting) on the revision of regulations on neonicotinoids due to their effects on bees is also presented. Descriptions of each class of pesticide including their physicochemical properties are concluded with a summary of the current use of pesticides. The chapter concludes with a brief description of application techniques.
