What are some alternatives that we might be able to use instead of pesticides?
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Question by Heli: What are some alternatives that we might be able to use instead of pesticides?
Also, can you cite your sources where you got the info. Thanks!
What do you think? Answer below!
6 Responses to What are some alternatives that we might be able to use instead of pesticides?
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There are a lot of natural pesticides. Garlic is supposed to be one, if you plant it among other plants, it is supposed to keep certain pests away, as is catnip. I don’t know all the details, you will have to do your own google search for specifics, but I do know we have options, they just aren’t being used large scale right now.
redhead
August 16, 2013 at 6:26 pm
You can use genetically modified crops that are able to produce pesticides themselves. If an insect tries to eat them, they will die. This eliminates the need for pesticide applications.
I don’t need to give a source. You can go to Monsanto’s website and find out for yourself. Monsanto is the company that developed those Bt toxin (the toxin that the crops produce to kill bugs).
Johnny Poopster
August 16, 2013 at 7:17 pm
There are two basic options: Substitution of Agrochemicals for Biochemicals (using organic rather than synthetic chemicals) or Integrated Pest management (sometimes also called ecological pest management). IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment.
IPM has 5 basic pillars:
Botanical pest control (Planting Marigolds,garlic and other plants),
Biological pest control ( The use of Entomopathogens (insects that kill or make other insects sick) and Entomophages (insects that eat other insects—like a Venus fly trap)
Beneficial agricultural practices ( such as inter-croping, color banding or crop rotation),
Conservation of Natural Enemies (making habitats available for animals that eat the pests)
Mechanical control ( building “traps”, a fruit fly trap ( almost empty wine bottle with a paper funnel so the flies can get in but not out) is a good example of a mechanical pest control).
These are considered sustainable techniques as they focus on prevention and control for the benefit of both the farmer (little to no cost with yearly improved outcomes) and the environment. Monsanto’s “innovations” while definitely an option, have been proven time and time again to be detrimental both environmentally as well as socially. Their alternatives are not sustainable but rather a “band-aid” fix that provides them with a strong market advantage (a market that they ironically monopolize–over 75% of patents on GM crops are with Monsanto) for the benefit of the large scale industrial farmers and their own CEO’s with little to no regard of the social or environmental consequences.
There is some really good information on successful implementation in Cuba in the book “Sustainable Agriculture and Resistance: Transforming food production in Cuba”. Otherwise I would google “integrated Pest Mangement” or “ecological pest management”. Alternatively look at more complex systems like permaculture or biodynamic farming that prohit the use of pesticides but still do extraordinarily well.
sarah s
August 16, 2013 at 7:36 pm
Look to what organic producers are doing.
Cultivating will reduce weeds between the rows, however to get them within the row it must be done by hand.
Natural sprays are available for certain things. For example vinegar can supress certain weeds. Also there are bacterial sprays available for certain insects. BT is an example here, it is a bacteria that is toxic to many insects. This is the same bacteria that BT crops have been engineered to produce as defense against insect pests. Although technically here the vinegar or bacteria is used as a pesticide.
People have developed propane based flamers to suppress both weeds and insects. These are not all that common but they do exist, and can be effective.
Releasing parasites to take care of insect problems.
Planting varieties that have more resistance to certain fungi and other diseases can help quite a bit. There are also varieties of some crops that show more resistance to certain insects. An example here is alfalfa varieties with hairy stems that are less appealing to leafhoppers.
In certain cases with very high value crops an attempt to keep them in a safe environment inside a greenhouse can be used. However this can only be done on a small scale and with the most valuable crops. Not exactly profitable on corn, soy, wheat, etc.
Crop rotation can throw off insect cycles and often does throw off disease cycles.
There are also some way to do this that are not used by the organic people. Such as I mentioned above use of BT producing crops, there are other biotech develpoments out there that can either reduce the usage of pesticides or allow for a safer one to be used. Some seed treatments can offer some protection against various pests and fungi also, technically these would probably be considered a pesticide but the usage would be decreased. Also one that many people overlook is for some insects a good rainfall can suppress them, irrigation accomplished the same. This works great with leafhoppers and some aphids, as well as likely a few other insect pests.
ERIC
August 16, 2013 at 7:57 pm
Pantry pests have the ability to puncture and penetrate paper and cardboard materials. Therefore, storing cereal and cereal products in tight plastic or tupperware containers instead of the original paper or cardboard holders prevents infestation by pantry pests. In order to avoid black flies, wear light-colored clothing that completely covers exposed areas of legs and hands. If mosquitoes are abundant outdoors, avoid outdoor activity. Dry cleaning clothes may eliminate clothes moth infestations.
Ultra sound devices and light traps are two nonchemical control measures that are ineffective in suppressing pest populations.
pooja
August 16, 2013 at 8:56 pm
One alternative is to grow various crops in high-rise buildings using hydroponics methods…called vertical farming… which allows you to control the environment, eliminate pest problems and grow crops year-round avoiding many of the issues with conventional farming. Vertical farming also avoids the problems of droughts and freezing as well. An acre of indoor crops is the equivalent in yield of 40 acres in conventional farming and can be maintained year-round, closer to urban areas where the food is needed which reduces transportation/fuel costs, employs local people and conserves water/requires less land than conventional farming.
Vertical farming and aquaponics methods…related info….
http://www.verticalfarm.com/
http://verticalfarmingaustralia.blogspot.com/
http://growingpower.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV9CCxdkOng&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaoCRNMot1E&feature=related
paul h
August 16, 2013 at 9:17 pm