Herbs and Pesticides

  Herbs are commonly used in cooking and medicine and pesticides are used to protect crops. Pesticides are widely used in cultivation, nevertheless they can present danger to workers and consumers, during manufacture, transport, or during and after use. Moreover, water pollution are produced if the pesticides are in liquid form and drained away by water into the river, stream and sea. This will affect the marine life. Furthermore, if the pesticides are in spray form, it will produce air pollution. As a result we should develop a new pesticides which is environmentally friendly, will not harm us and also will not change the genes of the pests. And recently, I have read an news article in terms of herb and pesticides.

  The scientists have spent a decade researching the insecticidal properties of rosemary, thyme, clove and mint and found out that they could become a key weapon against insect pests in organic agriculture as the industry attempts to satisfy demand. In fact, these new pesticides are generally a mixture of tiny amounts of two to four different herbs diluted in water. And some farmers has been using some spice-based commercial products this shows success in protecting organic strawberry, spinach, and tomato crops against destructive pests. Unlike conventional pesticides, these “killer spices” do not require more limited approval from regulatory bodies and are readily available. Moreover, this herb-based pesticides can reduce the pests likely to evolve resistance and they’re also safer for farm workers, who are at high risk for pesticide exposure.

  On the contrary, the herb-based pesticides only last for a short period of time. Since the essential oils made from these herbs tend to evaporate quickly and demolish rapidly in sunlight, farmers need to apply them to crops more frequently than conventional pesticides. Compared to the conventional pesticides, some last only a few hours. Despite of its advantages, conventional pesticides are still the most effective way to control caterpillars, grasshoppers, beetles and other large insects on commercial food crops. As a result, researchers are now seeking ways of making the pesticides longer-lasting and more potent.

  It may takes a long time to develop this new technology and maybe quite expensive, nonetheless developing herbal- based pesticides is a good beginning to protect our environment, because they are environmentally friendly, no harm to health or make the pests more resistance to the pesticides.