Mal practice of pesticides and development of resistance in insect pests.

Abstract

The chemical control of pesticide is the most popular pest controlling method in Sri Lanka, but it causes many environmental problems as well as health hazards such as kidney failure, cancers, nervous disorders, pest resistance development and ground water contamination. Most farmers use pesticides without a sense of action. This condition is called malpractice of pesticides. This research was carried out to study the malpractice of pesticides, in two selected areas. This was done in three steps. First, data were collected using a questioner. In the second step three farmers who cultivated green leaves were selected from Thissamaharamaya and their pesticide application techniques were studied. It was evident that the green cultivating farmers were not adhering to post harvesting intervals recommended for Chlorfyrifos, Antracoal and Paraquat. Paraquat and Chlorfyrifos which are well known deleterious chemicals. In the third step development of resistance in brinjal pod borer to the respective pesticides was studied using the data collected from the plots treated with pesticide and not treated with pesticides. It was revealed that there was no significant difference between the pest density in the plots treated with pesticide and not treated with pesticide. This shows that brinjal pod borer has already developed resistance to pesticide Mospilan.