DON BOSCO ACADEMY

PROJECT RECORD
CHEMISTRY
TOPIC: INSECTICIDES, PESTICIDES AND CHEMICAL
FERTILIZERS

SESSION- 2021-2022

SUBMITTED BY:

SMRITI ROY

CLASS XII ‘B’

ROLL NO. 200788

SERIAL NO. 41
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that this project on “INSECTICIDES, PESTICIDES AND CHEMICAL

FERTILIZERS” reported in this journal has been satisfactorily performed by SMRITI ROY,
ROLL NO. 200788, studying in XII ‘B’ of DON BOSCO ACADEMY, during academic session
2021-2022.

Date: Signature:
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It gives me immense pleasure to express my abysmal sense of gratitude to my Chemistry teacher

Mrs. Anita Verma for her outstanding and valuable guidance, constructive suggestion and
unfailing patience with which she supervised this project.

I also express a deep sense of gratitude to our Principal Mrs. Mary Alphonsa who provided me
with necessary facilities to do this wonderful project.

I owe a special debt to my parents who inspired and encouraged me to complete this project.
 PREFACE

My project provides complete information on the topic “INSECTICIDES, PESTICIDES AND

CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS” and maximum efforts have been taken to make the project more
comprehensive and lucid to understand. My project covers a variety of sub topics like its detailed
information, definition, causes, efforts and solution. One may notice a perceptible change in
written in an easy dialogue engaging the readers constantly and included with more information
comments. I assure you to go through this project thoroughly to know a bit more about the effects
insecticides, pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
 CONTENTS

S.NO TOPICS PG NO.

1. Introduction 1

2. Insecticides 2-4
i. What are
insecticides?
ii. Classification
iii. Types
iv. Characteristics
v. Advantages
3. Pesticides 5-10
i. What are pesticides
ii. History
iii. Types
iv. Benefits
v. Health effects
vi. Pesticides residues in
food commodities in
India

4. Chemical fertilizers 10-16

i. Characteristics
ii. Types
 iii. Mechanism
iv. Application
v. Importance
5. Drawbacks of chemical 17-20
fertilizers, pesticides and
insecticides
6. Alternatives 20-22

7. Conclusion 23

8. Bibliography 24
 INTRODUCTION

In the past decade there has been a tremendous increase in the yields of various
crops to meet the demand of overgrowing population, achieved by using pesticides,
fertilizers and insecticides. These are chemicals that are sprayed over crop to protect
it from pests. For example, DDT, BHC, zinc phosphide, Mercuric chloride,
dinitrophenol, etc. All pesticides are poisonous chemicals and are used in small
quantities with care. Pesticides are proven to be effective against variety of insects,
weeds and fungi and are respectively called insecticides, herbicides and fungicides.
Most of the pesticides are non-biodegradable and remain penetrated as such into
plants, fruits and vegetables. From plants they transfer to animals, birds and human
beings who eat these polluted fruits and vegetables. Inside the body they get
accumulated and cause serious health problems. These days preference is given to
biodegradable insecticides like malathion. The presence of Insecticides residues in
even raw samples of wheat, fish, meat, butter etc. have aroused the concern of
agricultural administrators, scientists and health officials all over the world to put a
check over the use of insecticides and to search for non insecticidal means of pest
control.

In India, the increased use of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture started since
1970s as part of the Green Revolution to meet the nutrients demand of high yielding
and fertilizer responsive varieties of rice and wheat.
 INSECTICIDES

WHAT ARE INSECTICIDES?

Substances which are used to

kill insects are called
insecticides. Insecticides have a
wide application in the field of
medicine, agriculture, and
industry. They have the potential
to alter ecosystem components majorly and are toxic to animals as well as humans.
Some insecticides become concentrated as they spread in the food chain.

CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTICIDES

Based on chemical composition, it is classified as organic and inorganic.

Based on the mode of entry in the insects, it is classified as contact poisons,
fumigants poisons, stomach poisons, and systemic poisons.
Based on the mode of action, it is classified as physical poisons, nerve poisons,
respiratory poisons, protoplasmic poisons, general poisons, and chitin inhibitors.

Based on toxicity, it is classified into four types:

Extremely toxic – Colour: red, symbol: skull and poison, oral LD50: 1-50

Moderately toxic – Colour: blue, symbol: danger, oral LD50: 501 – 5000

Highly toxic – Colour: yellow, symbol: poison, oral LD50: 51 – 500

Less toxic – Colour: green, symbol: caution, oral LD50: >5000

Based on the stage of specificity, it is classified as ovicides, pupicides, larvicides,

and adulticides.

TYPES OF INSECTICIDES
There are three different types of insecticides. They are:

Systemic – This type of insecticide is introduced into the soil for it to get absorbed
by the plant roots. Once the insecticide enters the roots, it moves to external areas
such as leaves, fruits, twigs, and branches. It forms a layer on the plant surface area
and acts as a poison to any insect that comes to chew the plant.

Ingested – Some examples of ingested pesticides are rat and roach.

Contact – These type of insecticides act like bullets that aim only at a particular
target to kill insects by its application. Usually, household insect spray works like
contact insecticides as it must directly hit the insect.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD INSECTICIDE

1. They should be biodegradable.

2. They should not be harmful to human being, birds and higher animals.

3. They should not pollute the air, water or soil.

4. They should not leave long term effect.

EFFECTS OF INSECTICIDES

Some insecticides kill or harm other creatures in addition to those they are intended
to kill. For example, birds may be poisoned when they eat food that was recently
sprayed with insecticides or when they mistake an insecticide granule on the ground
for food and eat it.[8] Sprayed insecticide may drift from the area to which it is
applied and into wildlife areas, especially when it is sprayed aerially.

Pollinator decline

Insecticides can kill bees and may be a cause of pollinator decline, the loss of bees
that pollinate plants, and colony collapse disorder (CCD), in which worker bees from
a beehive or Western honey bee colony abruptly disappear. Loss of pollinators
means a reduction in crop yields. Sublethal doses of insecticides (i.e. Imidacloprid
and other neonicotinoids) affect bee foraging behavior. However, research into the
causes of CCD was inconclusive as of June 2007.Besides the effects of direct
consumption of insecticides, populations of insectivorous birds decline due to the
collapse of their prey populations. Spraying of especially wheat and corn in Europe
is believed to have caused an 80 per cent decline in flying insects.

ADVANTAGES OF INSECTICIDES
1. They kill or control harmful insect or pets.
2. They help to increase food production.
3. They help to control cerebral diseases by killing germs.
 PESTICIDES

WHAT ARE PESTICIDES?

Pesticides are chemical substances that are meant to kill pests. In general, a pesticide
is a chemical or a biological agent
such as a virus, bacterium,
antimicrobial, or disinfectant that
deters, incapacitates, kills, pests.

This use of pesticides is so common

that the term pesticide is often
treated as synonymous with plant protection product. It is commonly used to
eliminate or control a variety of agricultural pests that can damage crops and
livestock and reduce farm productivity. The most commonly applied pesticides are
insecticides to kill insects, herbicides to kill weeds, rodenticides to kill rodents, and
fungicides to control fungi, mould, and mildew.

A BRIEF HISTORY

Pesticides are not recent inventions! Many ancient civilizations used pesticides to
protect their crops from insects and pests. Ancient Sumerians used elemental sulfur
to protect their crops from insects. Whereas, Medieval farmers experimented with
chemicals using arsenic, lead on common crops. The Chinese used arsenic and
mercury compounds to control body lice and other pests. While, the Greeks and
Romans used oil, ash, sulfur, and other materials to protect themselves, their
livestock, and their crops from various pests.
Meanwhile, in the nineteenth century, researchers focused more on natural
techniques involving compounds made with the roots of tropical vegetables and
chrysanthemums. In 1939, Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (DDT) was
discovered, which has become extremely effective and rapidly used as the
insecticide in the world. However, twenty years later, due to biological effects and
human safety, DDT has been banned in almost 86 countries.

TYPES OF PESTICIDES

These are grouped according to the types of pests which they kill:

Grouped by Types of Pests They Kill

Insecticides – insects

Herbicides – plants

Rodenticides – rodents (rats & mice)

Bactericides – bacteria

Fungicides – fungi

Larvicides – larvae

Chemically-related pesticides:

Organophosphate:

Most organophosphates are insecticides, they affect the nervous system by

disrupting the enzyme that regulates a neurotransmitter.

Carbamate:
Similar to the organophosphorus pesticides, the carbamate pesticides also affect the
nervous system by disrupting an enzyme that regulates the neurotransmitter.
However, the enzyme effects are usually reversible.

Organochlorine insecticides:

They were commonly used earlier, but now many countries have been removed
Organochlorine insecticides from their market due to their health and environmental
effects and their persistence (e.g., DDT, chlordane, and toxaphene).

Pyrethroid:

These are a synthetic version of pyrethrin, a naturally occurring pesticide, found in

chrysanthemums (Flower). They were developed in such a way as to maximise their
stability in the environment.

Sulfonylurea herbicides:

The sulfonylureas herbicides have been commercialized for weed control such as
pyrithiobac-sodium, cyclosulfamuron, bispyribac-sodium terbacil, sulfometuron-
methyl Sulfosulfuron, rimsulfuron, pyrazosulfuron-ethyl, imazosulfuron,
nicosulfuron, oxasulfuron, nicosulfuron, flazasulfuron, primisulfuron-methyl,
halosulfuron-methyl, flupyrsulfuron-methyl-sodium, ethoxysulfuron, chlorimuron-
ethyl, bensulfuron-methyl, azimsulfuron, and amidosulfuron.

Biopesticides:
The biopesticides are certain types of pesticides derived from such natural materials
as animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals.
BENEFITS Of PESTICIDES

The major advantage of pesticides is that they can save farmers. By protecting crops
from insects and other pests. However, below are some other primary benefits of it.

Controlling pests and plant disease vectors.

Controlling human/livestock disease vectors and nuisance organisms.

Controlling organisms that harm other human activities and structure.

HEALTH EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES

May be difficult to differentiate the

effects of prenatal exposure from exposure in early childhood, or sequelae of non-
fatal acute poisonings.

Chronic neurobehavioral and neurological effects after acute poisoning with

organophosphorus pesticides have Been reported in adults.

Memory and concentration problems, unusual fatigue, irritability and depression,

visual difficulties and delayed Polyneuropathy have been described.
In a well-documented case of chronic organophosphorus pesticide poisoning, the
house of an infant with Hypertonia, first diagnosed as cerebral palsy, was found to
have high levels of chlorpyrifos weeks after a

Professional application (Wagner, 1994).

Few studies have examined the neurobehavioral effects of postnatal exposure to

pesticides.

Subtle changes in short-term memory and attention may be associated with

application of organophosphorus Pesticides in the home.

There is increasing evidence, particularly from animal models, about

neurobehavioral effects of long-term Exposure to low levels of pesticides.

The incidence of cancer, asthma and diseases of Kidney, skin and digestive tract
has increased by 20-25%.

PESTICIDES RESUIDES IN FOOD COMMODITIES IN INDIA:

In a study based on selected food commodities collected from different states of

India
 – DDT residues were found in about 82 % of the 2205

Samples of bovine milk collected from 12 states

– About 37 % of the samples contained DDT residues above the tolerance limit
of 0.05 mg/kg
– The proportion of the samples with residues above the tolerance limit was
maximum in Maharashtra (74 %)

Followed by Gujarat (70 %), Andhra Pradesh (57 %),

Himachal Pradesh (56 %) and Punjab (51 %).

– In 186 samples of 20 commercial brands of infants

Formulae showed the presence of residues of DDT and HCH isomers in about 70
and 94 % of the samples

CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS

Definition: -

“Fertilizer may be defined as materials having definite chemical

composition with A higher analytical value and capable of Supplying
plant nutrients in available forms”.

CHARACTERISTICS OF FERTILIZER

Usually fertilizers are inorganic in nature (exception of Urea and

CaCN2 (calcium cynamide) and solid organic Nitrogenous fertilizers).

Most of them are the products of different industries.

Required in less quantity, concentrated and cheaper.

Nutrients are readily available.

 Very less residual effect.

Salt effect is high.

Adverse effects are observed when not applied in time and in proper proportions.

TYPES OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS

1. Nitrogen fertilizers

Nitrate-based fertilizers are the most commonly used straight fertilizers in Europe.

The main products are nitrate-based fertilizers such as ammonium nitrate (AN) and
calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), which are well suited to most European soils and
climatic conditions, and urea and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) aqueous solution,
which are widely used in other parts of the world.

Other straight nitrogen fertilizers include ammonium sulphate and ammonium

sulphate nitrate, calcium nitrate, sodium nitrate, Chilean nitrate and anhydrous
ammonia.

2. Calcium, magnesium and sulphur Fertilizers

Calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and sulphur (S) are essential secondary plant
nutrients. They are not usually applied as straight fertilizers but in combination with
the primary nutrients N, P, and K.

Sulphur is often added to straight N fertilizers such as ammonium nitrate or urea.

Other sulphur sources are single superphosphate (SSP), potassium sulphate (SOP)
and potassium magnesium sulphate (Kainite), the latter also containing magnesium.

Kieserite is a magnesium sulphate mineral that is mined and also used as fertilizer
in agriculture, mainly to correct magnesium deficiencies. Calcium is mainly applied
as calcium nitrate, gypsum (calcium sulphate) or lime/dolomite (calcium carbonate),
of which calcium nitrate is the only readily plant available source of calcium.

3. Phosphorus fertilizers

The most common phosphate fertilizers are single superphosphate (SSP), triple
superphosphate (TSP), monoammonium phosphate (MAP), di-ammonium
phosphate (DSP) and ammonium polyphosphate liquid.

Different fertilizer products have different release profiles and need different
spreader settings for efficient application.

4. Potassium fertilizers

Potassium is also available in a range of fertilizers which contain potassium only or

two or more nutrients and include Potassium chloride (KCl), Potassium sulphate
(K2SO4) or sulphate of potash (SOP), Potassium nitrate (KNO3), known as KN.

Nitrogen-rich fertilizers are used for the greening of lawns. Organic fertilizers
improve the texture and fertility of the soil.

Gardeners use fertilizers to address certain needs of the plants such as nutritional
needs.

Fertilizers are added to potted plants to replace the lost nutrients.

MECHANISM

Fertilizers enhance the growth of plants. This goal is met in two ways, the traditional
one being additives that provide nutrients. The second mode by which some
fertilizers act is to enhance the effectiveness of the soil by modifying its water
retention and aeration. This article, like many on fertilizers, emphasises the
nutritional aspect. Fertilizers typically provide, in varying proportions:[20]

Three main macronutrients:

Nitrogen (N): leaf growth

Phosphorus (P): Development of roots, flowers, seeds, fruit;

Potassium (K): Strong stem growth, movement of water in plants, promotion of

flowering and fruiting;

Three secondary macronutrients: calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S);

Micronutrients: copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), zinc
(Zn), boron (B). Of occasional significance are silicon (Si), cobalt (Co), and
vanadium (V).

The nutrients required for healthy plant life are classified according to the elements,
but the elements are not used as fertilizers. Instead, compounds containing these
elements are the basis of fertilizers. The macro-nutrients are consumed in larger
quantities and are present in plant tissue in quantities from 0.15% to 6.0% on a dry
matter (DM) (0% moisture) basis. Plants are made up of four main elements:
hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen. Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are widely
available as water and carbon dioxide. Although nitrogen makes up most of the
atmosphere, it is in a form that is unavailable to plants. Nitrogen is the most
important fertilizer since nitrogen is present in proteins, DNA and other components
(e.g., chlorophyll). To be nutritious to plants, nitrogen must be made available in a
“fixed” form. Only some bacteria and their host plants (notably legumes) can fix
atmospheric nitrogen (N2) by converting it to ammonia. Phosphate is required for
the production of DNA and ATP, the main energy carrier in cells, as well as certain
lipids

Two sets of enzymatic reactions are highly relevant to the efficiency of nitrogen-
based fertilizers.

Urease

The first is the hydrolysis (reaction with water) of urea. Many soil bacteria possess
the enzyme urease, which catalyses conversion of urea to ammonium ion (NH4+)
and bicarbonate ion (HCO3−).

Ammonia oxidation

Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), such as species of Nitrosomonas, oxidize

ammonia to nitrite, a process termed nitrification.[21] Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria,
especially Nitrobacter, oxidize nitrite to nitrate, which is extremely mobile and is a
major cause of eutrophication.

APPLICATION

Fertilizers are commonly used for growing all crops, with application rates
depending on the soil fertility, usually as measured by a soil test and according to
the particular crop. Legumes, for example, fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and
generally do not require nitrogen fertilizer.

Liquid vs solid

Fertilizers are applied to crops both as solids and as liquid. About 90% of fertilizers
are applied as solids. The most widely used solid inorganic fertilizers are urea,
diammonium phosphate and potassium chloride.[38] Solid fertilizer is typically
granulated or powdered. Often solids are available as prills, a solid globule. Liquid
fertilizers comprise anhydrous ammonia, aqueous solutions of ammonia, aqueous
solutions of ammonium nitrate or urea. These concentrated products may be diluted
with water to form a concentrated liquid fertilizer (e.g., UAN). Advantages of liquid
fertilizer are its more rapid effect and easier coverage.[20] The addition of fertilizer
to irrigation water is called “fertigation”.

Slow- and controlled-release fertilizers

Methylene diurea (MDU) is component of the most popular controlled-release

fertilizers. A controlled-release fertiliser (CRF) is a granulated fertiliser that releases
nutrients gradually into the soil (i.e., with a controlled release period).[41]
Controlled-release fertilizer is also known as controlled-availability fertilizer,
delayed-release fertilizer, metered-release fertilizer, or slow-acting fertilizer.
Usually CRF refers to nitrogen-based fertilizers. Slow- and controlled-release
involve only 0.15% (562,000 tons) of the fertilizer market (1995).

Foliar application

Foliar fertilizers are applied directly to leaves. This method is almost invariably used
to apply water-soluble straight nitrogen fertilizers and used especially for high-value
crops such as fruits. Urea is the most common foliar fertilizer.
 IMPORTANCE

It is very difficult to meet the demands of the increasing population with such fewer
resources. Loss of soil fertility, pests, and lack of nutrients has resulted in a decrease
in agricultural production. This has increased the importance of fertilizers in
agriculture.

Fertilizers can be important to the plants in the following ways:

Fertilizers increase plants’ tolerance towards pests. This has reduced their reliance
on insecticides and herbicides, thereby, producing healthier crops. Consequently,
diseases have reduced, providing aesthetic value to the crops.

Fertilizers improve the water holding capacity of the plants and increase root depth.

The potassium content present in the fertilizers strengthens the straws and stalks of
the plants.

The phosphorus present in the fertilizers helps in the faster development of roots and
formation of seeds in the plants.

Nitrogen in the fertilizers enhances the growth of the plants which can be
characterized by the green colour of the plants.
DRAWBACKS OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS, PESTICIDES
AND INSECTICIDES

1. Not Eco-Friendly

Unlike organic fertilizer, chemical fertilizer is not eco-friendly at all. For one thing,
it’s made from petroleum products, which are not sustainable. In addition, chemical
fertilizer leaches into water sources, causing water pollution. Manufacturing
chemical fertilizer consumes enormous amounts of energy too.

2. Doesn’t Improve Soil Structure

One main problem of using fertilizer is that it can lead to serious soil pollution.

Even though fertilizers can be quite helpful to increase yields for a certain period of
time, harmful substances will enter the soil and over time, chances are that the soil
will ger seriously polluted. chemical fertilizers support plant growth, they do nothing
when it comes to improving the soil structure. Chemical fertilizers won’t enhance
the soil’s health nor will it support the life within the garden because these products
do not contain organic matter.

3. Chemical Burn

Chemical fertilizers are high in nutrient content such as nitrogen. Over

application of chemical fertilizer to plants may cause the leaves to turn yellow
or brown, damaging the plant and crop yield. This condition is known as
 chemical leaf scorch. Leaf scorch can cause the leaves of the plant to wither
and may cause the plant to die.

4. Toxic Build-up

Chemical fertilizers aren’t recommended for repeated applications and long-term

use. These products could cause the build-up of dangerous chemicals including as
arsenic, cadmium, and uranium. In addition, long-term use of chemical fertilizers
may alter the soil’s pH permanently, contributing to the release of greenhouse gases
and killing off entire microbial ecosystems.

When fertilizers and pesticides are used in Farmlands, they are transmitted directly
or indirectly

Into the corns and vegetable that affects the human Health. Moreover, as pesticides
are applied over the Vegetable which are directly entered into human or Livestock
bodies.

5. Groundwater pollution

Due to the soil pollution related to fertilizer use, also our groundwater will likely
suffer a lot.

This makes quite a lot of sense since all the components that enter our soil will be
washed into our groundwater sooner or later.

Hence, if the soil becomes polluted too much through the use of excessive amounts
of fertilizer, chances are that also the quality of our groundwater will significantly
decrease.

6. Increased air pollution

Excess nitrogen used in crop fertilization can contribute to the release of greenhouse
gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. This effect is
caused by using a greater amount of chemical fertilizer than the plants can readily
absorb. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Lab, excess greenhouse gases trapped
in the atmosphere may be contributing to the increase of land and ocean surface
temperatures.

7. Harmful elements in our food

In rare cases when too much of the wrong type of fertilizer is used in agriculture,
this can also adversely affect our food.

Plants will always extract the components of those fertilizers and those components
will partially also end up in the produced crops. Hence, farmers should make sure to
only use fertilizers that are officially known to be harmless for food production.

8. Alteration of ecosystems

Another downside of using fertilizers is that our natural ecosystems can be altered
quite a lot.

Our animals and plants are not used to chemical fertilizers and have not evolved with
them for a longer period of time. This also implies that those animals and plants may
be harmed by those substances and our natural ecosystems may be altered in an
adverse and unnatural manner. Not only the local flora and fauna may suffer due to
the use of fertilizers, but also the agricultural workers may suffer as well.

Especially in case chemical fertilizers are used, protection equipment is crucial to

protect workers against the fine particles that will be present in the air.
Hence, in many countries, workers will not be equipped with proper protection and
chances are that those workers will inhale those harmful elements, which can in turn
lead to serious pulmonary diseases or also to several other health problems.

9. Mineral Depletion
Increasing chemical fertilizers can deplete the soil of essential nutrients. There
is an increasing concern that continuous use of chemical fertilizers on soil
depletes the soil of essential nutrients. As a result, the food produced in these
soils have less vitamin and mineral content. According to data produced by
the U.S. Department of Agriculture Nutrient Data Laboratory, foods grown in
soils that were chemically fertilized were found to have less magnesium,
potassium and calcium content.

ALTERNATIVES FOR CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS,

PESTICIDES AND INSECTICIDES

1. FARM YARD MANURE

Decomposed mixture of Dung and urine of farm Animals. Along with litter and left
over material from Roughages or fodder fed to cattle. Manure is a solid waste
product from animals that is widely used as an organic fertiliser in agriculture. It
contains high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other nutrients. Manure
decomposes over time through bacterial and microbial action and in the process
releases these nutrients into the soil. This slow release mechanism is a great benefit
to farmers as it limits the leaching of nutrients into the ground water, making it
available to plants over a longer period of time. Manure also adds organic matter to
the soil, increasing the quality of the soil itself.
Plants can only absorb nutrients that are dissolved in water. When manure
decomposes, the nitrogen compounds are converted to a form that is soluble in water,
for example nitrates (NO−3). The nitrates are dissolved in the moisture in the soil
and plants are then able to absorb the nitrogen compounds through their root system.

2. VERMICOMPOST

Process of composting using various worms, red wigglers, White worms, and other
Earthworms.

Create heterogeneous Mixture of decomposing Vegetable or food waste, Bedding

materials, and

vermicast.

3. ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

Organic fertilisers are not manufactured by man, but come from natural sources.
Examples are manure, blood and bones, guano, compost and kelp products. Organic
fertilisers contain lower levels of nutrients and might take longer than inorganic
fertilisers to be absorbed as they generally have to degrade first. The advantage of
organic fertilisers is that they increase the organic component of the soil. This
improves the physical structure of the soil, which in turn increases the soil’s water-
holding capacity. The nutrients also tend to be released slower than those of
inorganic fertilisers, decreasing their contribution to water pollution.

4. CROP ROTATION

Crop rotation is a farming method that is used to manage the nutrients in soil
naturally. When the same crop is grown repeatedly in the same place, it eventually
depletes the soil of specific nutrients. With crop rotation, one type of crop that
depletes the soil of a particular kind of nutrient, is rotated with another type of crop
which replaces the depleted nutrient. For example, legumes, like beans or peas, have
nodules on their roots which contain nitrogen-fixing bacteria. These bacteria help
‘fix’ or change nitrogen into a soluble form. Legumes are therefore often alternated
with plants requiring nitrogen, and soy beans can therefore be followed by maize.

5. LIME
Agricultural lime, or crushed limestone, can be used as
an alternative fertiliser. Lime increases the pH of soil,
making the soil less acidic, and more soluble for
nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus compounds.
These nutrients will therefore be more readily available
for absorption by plants.
 CONCLUSION

To feed billions, sustaining high level of productivity requires Use of adequate

fertilizers and pesticides but their excessive and indiscriminate use can have serious
environmental and Health implications.

Fertilizers be applied on the basis of soil testing and plant Analysis adopting INM
and SSNM approach

4R nutrient stewardship will ensure greater productivity and Profitability without

causing any harm to environment

IPM – a solution for rational pesticide use green biodegradable molecule

- Low mammalian toxicity,

- Low residual life

Fertilizers and pesticides are necessary (evils)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. https://byjus.com/chemistry/pesticides/
2. https://www.gardenguides.com/100570-types-insecticide.html
3. https://www.hunker.com/12401292/harmful-effects-of-chemical-fertilizers
4. www.wikipedia.com
5. https://thefactfactor.com/facts/pure_science/biology/chemical-
fertilizers/2225/