Use of pesticides in cultivated plants production
Authors: Janjić Vaskrsija , Mitrić Siniša 
Published: April 2024

This chapter examines the basic problems related to use of pesticides in plant production. The short history of their production and application, not only in our country, but in the whole world as well, is briefly given. It is particularly pointed at the damages caused by different harmful organisms to the plant production and at the role of pesticides in plant production and plant products. Pesticides are significant means of plant protection and their benefits are reflected in the following indicators: preventing the yield loss of cultivated plants from the attack of the pathogens, insects and weed plants, suppression of vectors of infectious pathogens and pathogens, improving the production quality and pesticide application in the sector of the utility hygiene. During the production and pesticide application, non-target organisms are exposed and pesticides reach non-target areas. Since pesticides are mostly used on agricultural areas which are mainly in rural regions, risks of pesticides application are significantly important in those regions. Risks can be reflected on the direct impact of pesticides on humans, food contamination, surface and underground water and on environment and non-target organisms. Risks of pesticides in republic of Srpska are mainly caused by their application. In order to reduce the negative consequences of pesticide application on rural areas in Republic of Srpska, the basic attention should be reduced to directing the plant protection according to the principles of the integral plant protection and pesticide application should be complied with the principles of sustainable use of pesticides. Organizing the work and activities in the field of protection of the plant health, according to the principles of integral plant protection and sustainable use of pesticides, it is necessary to systematically organize by the competent institution, not only legislative but also in terms of supervision and inspections, and to educate the agricultural advisers and agricultural producers. Special attention must be paid to prevent the contamination underground water, pesticides drifting during their application, bees poisoning and other non-target organisms and disposal of non-used pesticides and their storage.In the world, but in our country as well, the intensive pesticide application has been worrying for a long time because of its influence on the human health (acute and chronic toxicity, genotoxicity, mutagenicity, damages of the nerve and immune system), influence on the environment (contamination of water, soil and food by toxic residues) and effects on biodiversity. Therefore, it will be necessary to develop completely new strategies of plant protection, discover and synthetize new selective and ecologically acceptable pesticides and to master techniques and knowledge for their more accurate application. Certainly, in newly created conditions – reduction of active substance number of pesticides, lack of new solutions for many contemporary phenomena of disease causers, harmful insects and weed plants, and especially for wide occurrence of resistance to many pesticides, it will demand education of the producers, particularly in the choice and precise pesticide application. In this knowledge transfer, particular place will belong to experts in agricultural-expert services, because they will be demanded the permanent education and expert information about all innovations in this dynamic scientific field.