Agricultural Poisons

• Agricultural Poisons - aka agrochemicals
• 3 Agricultural Uses of Chemicals

  • Increase farm production (Fertilizers)
  • Kills pests (Pesticides)
  • Preserve farm products (Preservatives)
• Agricultural Poisons can be poisonous when improperly:

  • labeled
  • stored
  • used
• Types of Pesticides:

  • Insecticides
  • Herbicides
  • Fungicides
  • Fumigants
  • Rodenticides
• Insecticides - kill insects
• Herbicide - kill weeds
• Fungicides - anti-mycotic
• Fumigants - gas/fumes for suffocation
• Rodenticides - same as fumigants but in bait or pellet form
• Types of Insecticides:

  • Organophosphates
  • Carbamates
  • Chlorinated HCs
  • Botanical Insecticides
• Categories of Herbicides:

  • Non-selective - kills all vegetation for recreational or land purging purposes
  • Selective - kills weeds without harming the crops
• Types of Herbicides:

  • Dipyridyl Weed Killers
  • Chlorophenoxy Herbicides
• Types of Fungicides:

  • Copper Compounds
  • Sulfur Compounds
  • Cadmium Salts
  • Mercury Salts
  • Inorganic Fungicides (important)
  • Creosote
  • Organophosphorus
  • Carbamate
• Organophosphates - most popular and widely used
• Organophosphates - powder, granules or liquid form
• Organophosphates - about 50% OP used worldwide
• Chlorinated HCs - aka organochlorines
• Chlorinated HCs - kills insects like termites and fireants and control insect borne dx
• Chlorinated HCs - CNS stimulants with limited volatility
• Chlorinated HCs - poor H2O solubility but readily soluble in organic solvents and fats
• T or F

  
  

  Chlorinated HCs - very stable

  True
• Botanical Insecticides - low in toxicity
• Paraquat - only herbicide with significant effect on lungs
• Paraquat - brown odorless liquid (same with coke & vinegar)
• Paraquat - a stanching/bluish-greenish dye. Emetic agent is added to prevent accidental or criminal poisoning.
• Diquat - less commonly used
• Diquat - fast knockdown, contact herbicide and plant desiccant
• Diquat - no dye, stanching, or emetic agent
• Diquat - selectively concentrated in kidneys
• Morfamquat - least commonly used
• Other Dipyridyl Weed Killers:

  • Diuron
  • Monuron
  • Atrazine
  • Simazine
  • Chlorpropham
  • Alachlor
• Chlorphenoxy Herbicides - growth regulators
• Chlorphenoxy Herbicides - cause abnormal plant growth, destroying the plant
• Chlorphenoxy Herbicides - control broadleaf weeds in cereal cropts & pasteurs
• 2,4-dichlorophenoxy-acetic acid (2,4-D) - common chlorphenoxy herbicide
• 2,4-dichlorophenoxy-acetic acid (2,4-D) - easily absorbed through skin and lungs
• Fungicides - antimycotics in sprays or dust forms
• Cadmium salts - for turfgrass disease
• Creosote - from wood tar or coal tar
• Creosote - prevent dry rot in wood