A monoculture is the raising of only one crop or product without using the land

for other purposes, such as generally occurs in fields under modern agriculture
techniques (see Reference 2). In a corn field, for example, corn is the single
plant that is expected, tended and tolerated, with all other plants seen as
weeds. While monoculture agriculture represents the vast majority of modern
food production, the system has both advantages and disadvantages.

A monoculture field is a very simple system. Soil preparation, irrigation and chemical inputs can all
be focused on the needs and preferences of a single plant species. This allows the field to be heavily
specialized towards producing maximum yields for a specific crop. Pests and disease can be treated
without considering the effects of the treatment on any other plants. The uniformity of a monoculture
field is especially important in harvesting, since the desirable parts of a plant can be easily collected
using straightforward techniques which would often be highly destructive to other crops sharing the
same field.

Monoculture fields are vulnerable to widespread outbreaks of diseases and pests. If a particular
disease can infect a single plant in a monoculture field, it can by extension infect every other plant in
the field. An infected plant in this situation is surrounded by nothing but vectors for further infection.
Likewise, if a pest is able to attack a plant in a monoculture, it is surrounded by other vulnerable
plants, which can lead to a population explosion in short order.
A single plant species is unable to take full advantage of any environment, due to variables such as
mineral and nutritional needs, root depth and metabolic byproducts. Planting a monoculture crop in
the same area for extended periods depletes resources required by that plant species while neglecting
available resources other plant species can take advantage of. Crop rotation can help mitigate this
problem, but it often involves planting less profitable or lower yield crops, or leaving the land
entirely fallow for entire growing seasons.

Monoculture crops do not provide a rich habitat for other flora and fauna. Other plants are
undesirable by the definition of monoculture farming and are actively discouraged. Animals are
presented with a uniform environment that may fulfill some of their requirements, but it may lack all
the features of a habitat. In the case of widespread monoculture agriculture, this may lead to the
extinction or relocation of entire species in certain areas.
Herbicides and insecticides

Pesticides are an integral part of modern life used to prevent growth of unwanted living organisms. Despite the fact
that scientific statements coming from many toxicological works provide indication on the low risk of the pesticides
and their residues, the community especially last years is deeply concerned about massive application of pesticides
in diverse fields. Therefore evaluation of hazard risks particularly in long term perspective is very important. In the
fact there are at least two clearly different approaches for evaluation of pesticide using: the first one is defined as an
objective or probabilistic risk assessment, while the second one is the potential economic and agriculture benefits.
Therefore, in this review the author has considered scientifically based assessment of positive and negative effects of
pesticide application and discusses possible approaches to find balance between them.
- Blood disorders.
Pesticides can contaminate soil, water, turf, and other vegetation. In addition to killing insects or
weeds, pesticides can be toxic to a host of other organisms including birds, fish, beneficial insects, and
non-target plants.
Recent articles and reports review toxicological and epidemiological evidences for various health
effects associated with pesticides . Extensive toxicological studies in animals demonstrate
that a number of pesticides to which the general population may be chronically exposed are potential
carcinogens, neurotoxins, reproductive toxins, and immunotoxins . Gonz{lez with colleagues
showed DNA damages under 2,4-D exposure in Chinese Hamster ovary cells (CHO). There are
evidences on involvement of pesticides in development of neurodegenerative diseases [15, 19]. Many
scientists reported impact of pesticides on biochemical parameters, in particular on protein
metabolism , endocrine, and reproductive systems [1].
Pesticide contamination of both surface and ground waters can affect aquatic fauna and flora, as
well as human health when water is used for public consumption . Aquatic organisms are directly
exposed to chem
1. Diseases of ecotopes (erosion, loss of soil fertility, depletion of nutrient reserves, salinization and
alkalinization, pollution of water systems);
2. Diseases of biocoenosis (loss of crop, wild plant, and animal genetic resources, elimination of natural enemies,
pest resurgence and genetic resistance to pesticides, chemical contamination, and destruction of natural control
mechanisms).
Due to this and many other reasons, search for “safest” analogue pesticides of natural origin is for one of the most
important problems of our civilization. Potential alternatives to pesticides are available and include specific methods
of plant cultivation, use of biological pest controls (such as pheromones and microbial pesticides), plant genetic
engineering, and methods of interfering with insect breeding [28]. Application of composted yard waste has
also been used as a way of controlling pest
. Though the chemical fertilizer increases the plant growth and vigour, hence meets the food security
of the world, but the plants grown in this way does not develop good plant characters such as, good
root system, shoot system, nutritional characters and also will not get time to grow and mature
properly. Chemically produced plant will accumulate in the human body, toxic chemicals, which are
very dangerous. The deleterious effect of the chemical fertilizers will itself start from the
manufacturing of these chemicals, whose products and byproducts are some toxic chemicals or
gases like NH4, CO2, CH4etc. which will cause air pollution. And when the wastes from the
industries are disposed off untreated into nearby water bodies it will cause water pollution. It also
includes the most devastating effect of chemical waste accumulation in the water bodies i.e., the
water eutrophication. And when added in soil, its continuous use degrades the soil health and quality
hence causing the soil pollution. Therefore, this is high time to realize that this crop production input
is depleting our environment and ecosystem. Hence its continuous use without taking any remedial
measure to reduce or judicious use will deplete all the natural resources one day and will threaten all
the life from the earth. The adverse effect of these synthetic chemicals on human health and
environment can only be reduced or eliminated by adopting new agricultural technological practices
such as shifting from chemical intensive agriculture which includes the use of organic inputs such as
manure, biofertilizers, biopesticides, slow release fertilizer and nanofertilizers etc. which would
improve the application efficiency as well as use efficiency of the fertilizers. Opting organic farming
will create a healthy natural environment and ecosystem for the present as well as future generation.
Keywords: Chemical fertilizers, environment and ecosystem, plant growth and maturity, organic
agriculture

Though the chemical fertilizer increases the plant growth and vigour, hence meets the food security
of the world, but the plants grown in this way does not develop good plant characters such as, good
root system, shoot system, nutritional characters and also will not get time to grow and mature
properly. Chemically produced plant will accumulate in the human body, toxic chemicals, which are
very dangerous. The deleterious effect of the chemical fertilizers will itself start from the
manufacturing of these chemicals, whose products and byproducts are some toxic chemicals or
gases like NH4, CO2, CH4etc. which will cause air pollution. And when the wastes from the
industries are disposed off untreated into nearby water bodies it will cause water pollution. It also
includes the most devastating effect of chemical waste accumulation in the water bodies i.e., the
water eutrophication. And when added in soil, its continuous use degrades the soil health and quality
hence causing the soil pollution. Therefore, this is high time to realize that this crop production input
is depleting our environment and ecosystem. Hence its continuous use without taking any remedial
measure to reduce or judicious use will deplete all the natural resources one day and will threaten all
the life from the earth. The adverse effect of these synthetic chemicals on human health and
environment can only be reduced or eliminated by adopting new agricultural technological practices
such as shifting from chemical intensive agriculture which includes the use of organic inputs such as
manure, biofertilizers, biopesticides, slow release fertilizer and nanofertilizers etc. which would
improve the application efficiency as well as use efficiency of the fertilizers. Opting organic farming
will create a healthy natural environment and ecosystem for the present as well as future generation.
Keywords: Chemical fertilizers, environment and ecosystem, plant growth and maturity, organic
agriculture