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The Effects of Pesticides on Crop Yields

Pesticides are used extensively in agriculture. However, the effects of pesticide use are both advantageous and disadvantageous. At first, the benefits of pesticides were thought to greatly outweigh the problems, as the dangers of pesticides were unknown. Pesticides have some direct effects to crop yields. Using the correct procedure to apply pesticides ensures that all effects are beneficial rather than harmful.

Integrated Pest Management
- The best crop yields are produced when the pesticide application is part of a larger integrated pest management program. This ensures that the pesticide kills the insects, fungus or weeds that are damaging crops and will not harm the crop itself. A system incorporating crop rotation, seeing rates, variety choice, competitive crops and pesticides ensure that pesticide only increases the crop yield.
In Direct Loss
- An indirect decrease in crop yield can be due to pesticide use that is nontargeted to specific pests. It may be killing beneficial insects necessary for pollination. If there are fewer pollinators available, crop yield declines. Choose pesticides that do not wipe out those insects that are required in order to produce higher crop yields.
Cost
- Many factors determine how the cost of pesticides affects the overall cost of crop production. Capital, labor, fertilizer and pesticide cost is less expensive than other forms of integrated pest management. However, the ultimate cost affect depends on how the use of the pesticide reduces the final price of the crops. Note that organic crops received substantially higher prices, even if their overall yield is lower.
Fresh Produce
- Crops sold as fresh products in market do experience benefits from pesticides. Many farmers choose target-specific pesticides that only affect a specific pest, rather than a general, nonspecific pesticide.

Nature