What do you need to know about the resistance to parasites to products for the protection of plants

Throughout history, the man has constantly faced the challenges affected by diseases, parasites and weeds that affect agricultural crops. However, significant progress in the field of fight against these threats have been carried out in the last 50 years insecticide, fungicide, Herbicides and Rodenticidi. Even if the first products of this type were immediately successful (such as DDT), the struggle with harmful crops has not yet been completely won. Although the progress in the fight against parasites brought joy among farmers, it did not last, since a decrease in the effectiveness of the new combat methods has been quickly observed. It was necessary that the doses of application of the products increased to maintain the initial combat level, but even their effectiveness continued to decrease. This phenomenon has been attributed to resistance to chemicals between diseases and parasites. Discover everything you need to know about the resistance of parasites to products for the protection of plants, in the following lines.

What is the resistance of parasites to products for the protection of plants?

Resistance to plants protection products is a genetic phenomenon, which occurs when a population of parasites is exposed to a particular product, as an insecticide. After applying the product, not all target parasites are killed. Some individuals survive due to their genetic predisposition to resist that product. The repeated treatments and the increase in the dose will increase the number of hard -fought individuals, but some will survive. The descendants of these resistant individuals will inherit this genetic characteristic.

Since many parasites have a high rate of multiplication, with a large number of generations per year, it is easy to understand that the repeated application of the same product will lead to the selection of resistant individuals. Therefore, the resistance evolves in the case of diseases, weeds, rodents and others.

Currently, farmers are again facing threats to agricultural crops, threats they believed had fled. Many parasites, diseases or weeds are resistant to a wide range of plants protection products. Recent studies have shown that over 500 species of insects, 150 species of weeds and 150 species of pathogens have developed resistance to the protection products of the plants previously used. In addition, there are situations in which harmful organisms are resistant to more than one product protection product. For this reason, plants protection products must not be considered the only or first means of fighting parasites. On the contrary, they should be an integral part of a complex control program for harmful organisms.

Methods for preventing and combating resistance to parasites to plants protection products

In order to prevent the development of resistance to plants protection products, it is essential to follow a resistance management program. Here's what such a program must include:

Parasitic monitoring

This is a fundamental activity within the program for the management of the resistance of parasites. The population of parasites should be monitored before and after the treatments.

Considering the economic threshold (PED)

The use of plants protection products should only occur when parasites (insects, diseases, weeds, etc.) have reached a high enough level to cause higher economic damage than the cost of the product and its application.

Integrated management of the control of diseases, weeds and parasites

The use of various control methods is essential to prevent and combat the resistance of parasites. This integrated management includes the use of synthetic and biological protective products, agrotechnical and cultural methods, the use of genetically modified plants, the rotation of crops, the use of resistant varieties, etc.

Choose the correct moment for the application

Plants protection products must be applied when parasites are the most vulnerable. For example, in the case of insects, the moment is in the hatching phase. The dose applied should be the one recommended by the manufacturer.

Alternative use of several chemicals

It is recommended to avoid the repeated application of the same product or produced in the same chemical class, to prevent the development of the resistance. The treatments must be applied by the rotation of products from various chemical groups to reduce the risk of resistance.

Protect beneficial bodies

Plants protection products should be chosen in order to protect the microfauna and the microflora useful.

Reduce the number of products available

Many diseases and parasites have become resistant to plants protection products. The reasons why the number of products that are used in rotation in combat are down are different. The development of a new protection product of the plant costs tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. In addition, the process of ri -valutation and re -Valutation of products in the European Union has led to the removal of many products and others will follow in the coming years.

Conclusion on the resistance of parasites to products for the protection of plants

All these elements mean that farmers use increasingly integrated approaches to combat diseases, parasites and weeds and to understand the life cycle of these organisms, intervene correctly with plants protection products and prevent resistance and waste development. Maintaining the effectiveness of the products for the protection of plants for as long as possible is an advantage not only for producers and distributors, but also for farmers.