Agrochemicals are chemicals used in agriculture to enhance plant and crop growth and safety. Agrochemicals were developed to help farmers protect their crops from pests and increase crop yields. Let us know more about Agrochemicals and their Effects on the environment. 

To prevent and save crops, the farmer started using agrochemicals in their crops. These chemicals were used to control the attack of the pests and increase the crop yield. As we know, every invention has a drawback. Agrochemicals also impact the environment by increasing soil pollution. This article will study more about the types of agrochemicals and their effects on the environment with examples.

Agrochemical Definition

An agrochemical is a chemical product that is used in agriculture. Agrochemicals are basically used to improve crop yields and control the population of agricultural pests. They commonly include pesticides, herbicides, fertilisers, etc. The usage of agrochemicals in agricultural practices is not a new thing. Human beings have been using agrochemicals since 600 BC. The ancient Sumerian farmers used sulphur as a pesticide in 3000 BC to control the attack of pests. At present, the demand and production of synthetic chemicals have increased to support the food demands which have increased due to severe growth in population.

Fig: Agrochemicals

Types of Agrochemicals

Agrochemicals are classified as pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, molluscicides, nematicides, fertilisers, soil conditioners, and limiting and acidifying agents.

Types	Uses	Examples
Insecticides	These are used to destroy insects and prevent them from harming the crop.	DDT, BHC, Pyrethroid, Malathion, Pyrethrin, etc.
Herbicides	These are used to kill weeds and herbs.	Gramoxone, Glyphosate, 2-4 D, etc.
Fungicides	These are used to kill or prevent the growth of fungi and oomycetes.	Mancozeb, Formaldehyde, Copper Sulphate, Captan, etc.
Rodenticides	These are used to kill rodents, rats, and mice.	Warfarin, Chlorophacinone, Strychnine, P-thallium, etc.
Molluscicides	These are used to control molluscs like snails and slugs.	Metaldehyde
Nematicides	These are chemicals used to control or kill nematodes.	Furadan, Neemcakes, etc.
Fertilisers	These are chemical compounds added to the farmlands for promoting plant growth and increasing crop yields.	Manure, compost, superphosphate, aluminium sulphate, NPK fertiliser, etc.
Soil Conditioners	These are materials that are added to the soil to increase the water-holding capacity and aeration of the soil.	Manure, compost, peat, livestock manures, leaves, and even shredded newspapers.
Limiting and acidifying agents	Sometimes the soil is too acidic or too alkaline for the proper growth of crops. The limiting and acidifying agents are added to the soil for adjusting the pH.	Calcite or powdered limestone or crushed oyster or mussel shells are added to the acidic soils to neutralise. Sulphur compounds are added to the alkaline soil to neutralise.

Fig: Pesticides

Fig: Fertilisers

Agrochemicals and their Effects

Agrochemicals are used to improve crops’ health, but their overuse may harm the environment. The agrochemicals and their effects are described below:

1. Effects on Soil

a) Agrochemicals may alter the pH of the soil.
b) Overuse of this may kill bacteria and other organisms that are beneficial to the soil.
c) Agrochemicals increase the nitrate content in the soil.
d) These increase the toxicity of the soil.
e) These can bioaccumulate and enter food chains.

2. Effects on Water

a) The agrochemicals make water unfit for consumption.
b) These can cause algal blooms in water bodies leading to the death of fishes and other aquatic animals.
c) These change the chemical properties of the soil.
d) These cause pollution of the water.

3. Effects on Air

a) These cause air pollution.
b) The wind causes movement of the agrochemical particles from one place to another, which spread into larger areas that cause pollution of the air.

4. Effects on Human Health

a) Agrochemicals cause health effects in humans as it enters the human body via the food chain.
b) These compounds cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscular tremors in humans.
c) These cause effects on the central nervous system leading to convulsion, paralysis, death.
d) These can cause damage to the nerve, infertility, reproductive problems.
e) These affect humans, causing blindness, hormone disorder, cancer, liver disease, lesions in the liver, kidney, heart of human beings.
f) Birth defects are increased due to the toxicity of agrochemicals.

Control Measures of Agrochemicals

Some control measures of agrochemicals are given below:

1. The approach should be taken to shift chemical methods to non-chemical methods for enhancing soil fertility.
2. The use of agrochemicals should be regulated. Farmland should maintain and regulate proper storage facilities, labelling, emergency cleanup equipment, applications, and disposal process.
3. For the purchase of agrochemicals, prior approved registration or Government-issued permits should be taken.
4. Proper management policy is required for encouraging the judicious use of agrochemicals.
5. Proper ways should be taken to detoxify and degrade chemical residues in the environment.
6. Biopesticides and biofertilisers should be used.

Organic Farming as a Substitute for Agrochemicals

Organic farming can be used as an alternative to agrochemicals as it includes all the sustainable and natural processes to promote the healthy growth of the crops. Integrated organic farming is a zero-waste procedure in which waste products from one process are cycled as nutrients for other processes. This allows the maximum use of resources and increases the efficiency of production.

In this farming, no chemical fertilisers are used. Instead, manure, compost, etc., are used as a natural fertiliser. Ramesh Chandra Dagar, a farmer in Sonipat of Haryana, is doing organic farming. He included many natural methods like bee-keeping, dairy management, water harvesting, composting, and agriculture in a chain of processes, which support each other and allow an extremely economical and sustainable venture.

Fig: Different Processes of doing Organic Farming

Summary

An agrochemical is a chemical product that is used in agriculture. Agrochemicals are basically used to improve crop yields and control the population of agricultural pests. Agrochemicals are commonly classified as pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, molluscicides, nematicides, fertilisers, soil conditioners, and limiting and acidifying agents. Agrochemicals are used to improve crops’ health, but their overuse may harm the environment. Proper management policy is required for encouraging the judicious use of agrochemicals.

FAQs

Q.1. What are agrochemicals?
Ans: An agrochemical is a chemical product that is used in agriculture.

Q.2. What are the effects of agrochemicals on human health?
Ans: The effects of agrochemicals on human health are nausea, vomiting, infertility, muscular tremors, cancer, blindness, hormonal disorders, birth defects, etc.

Q.3. What are the types of agrochemicals?
Ans: The different types of agrochemicals are insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, molluscicides, nematicides, fertilisers, soil conditioners, and limiting and acidifying agents.

Q.4. Name some examples of pesticides.
Ans: Some examples of pesticides are organophosphate, carbamate, pyrethroid, propoxur, malathion, metaldehyde, etc.

Q.5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using agrochemicals?
Ans: The advantage of agrochemicals is to increase the productivity of crops. The disadvantage of agrochemicals is that they cause a lot of damage to the environment.