Graphical Abstract
Keywords
Nanopesticides · Nanotechnology · FAO · Pesticides
11.1 Introduction
Agriculture is important for development of the human civilization and major impact
on the social economic and cultural development of the world nations. The increased
population causes the need for food and this intensification of food causes the
problem in the agriculture. The agriculture production is challenged by various
factors like depletion of cultivation lands, water scarcity, adverse changes in the
climate, and destruction of crops by insects, pathogens, and weeds. The control of
damage caused by insects and weeds o the food crops is a major challenge.
Pesticides are the substances which are used to control the pests and these may be
insecticides, herbicides, nematicides, insecticides, fungicides, and antimicrobial. Out
of the most of the pesticides, 80% are herbicides (Ahemad and Khan 2011; Corsini
et al. 2013; Owens et al. 2010; Smith 1999; Dollimore and Schimpf 2013).
According to The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has defined pesticide as:
“any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, or controlling
any pest, including vectors of human or animal disease, unwanted species of plants or
animals, causing harm during or otherwise interfering with the production, processing,
storage, transport, or marketing of food, agricultural commodities, wood and wood products
or animal feedstuffs, or substances that may be administered to animals for the control of
insects, arachnids, or other pests in or on their bodies.”
244
A. Kaur
Keywords
Nanopesticides · Nanotechnology · FAO · Pesticides
11.1 Introduction
Agriculture is important for development of the human civilization and major impact
on the social economic and cultural development of the world nations. The increased
population causes the need for food and this intensification of food causes the
problem in the agriculture. The agriculture production is challenged by various
factors like depletion of cultivation lands, water scarcity, adverse changes in the
climate, and destruction of crops by insects, pathogens, and weeds. The control of
damage caused by insects and weeds o the food crops is a major challenge.
Pesticides are the substances which are used to control the pests and these may be
insecticides, herbicides, nematicides, insecticides, fungicides, and antimicrobial. Out
of the most of the pesticides, 80% are herbicides (Ahemad and Khan 2011; Corsini
et al. 2013; Owens et al. 2010; Smith 1999; Dollimore and Schimpf 2013).
According to The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has defined pesticide as:
“any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, or controlling
any pest, including vectors of human or animal disease, unwanted species of plants or
animals, causing harm during or otherwise interfering with the production, processing,
storage, transport, or marketing of food, agricultural commodities, wood and wood products
or animal feedstuffs, or substances that may be administered to animals for the control of
insects, arachnids, or other pests in or on their bodies.”
244
A. Kaur