Lecture 18 CHEMICAL CONTROL - DEFINITION - HISTORY AND
DEVELOPMENT - TOXICITY PARAMETERS - IDEAL QUALITIES OF AN
INSECTICIDE
Chemical Control: Management of insect pests using chemical pesticides is termed
as chemical control.
Pesticides: Chemicals which are used to kill pests
History of insecticide development
Year Chemicals
900 - Arsenites in China (Inorganic compound)
1690 - Tobacco used in Europe (Plant/natural product)
1787 - Soaps used in Europe
1867 - Paris Green in US
1874 - DDT synthezized by Zeidler
1883 - Bordeau in France
1925 - Dinitro compounds (First synthetic organic insecticide)
1932 - Thiocyanates
1939 - DDT insecticidal property discovered by Paul Muller of Switzerland.
Paul Muller awarded Nobel Prize in 1948 for discovering insecticidal
property of DDT
1941 - BHC in France and UK (in 1942) (BHC is presently called as HCH)
1944 - Parathion (Organo phosphate) discovered by Gerhard Schrader in
Germany
1945 - Chlordane (Cyclodian compound) in Germany
1947 - Carbamate insecticides in Switzerland
1962 - Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring appears (US) (This is not a chemical. The
book ‘ Silent Spring’ created awareness about ill effects of pesticides)
1967 - First JH mimic (Juvenile Hormone mimic) used in US (Insect growth
regulator)
1970 - Development of synthetic pyrethroids (UK) (Fast degradation) (Effective
at very low doses)
1980 - Discovery of avermectins (derived from bacteria). Effective at low dose.
Fast degradation.
1990 - Discovery of newer groups like (1) Neonicotinoids (Imidacloprid),
similar to natural nicotin, (2) Spinosyns (e.g. Spinosad) derived from
actinomycet
TOXICITY PARAMETERS
Toxicity of a given chemical to an organism can be measured using various
parameters as listed below.
DEVELOPMENT - TOXICITY PARAMETERS - IDEAL QUALITIES OF AN
INSECTICIDE
Chemical Control: Management of insect pests using chemical pesticides is termed
as chemical control.
Pesticides: Chemicals which are used to kill pests
History of insecticide development
Year Chemicals
900 - Arsenites in China (Inorganic compound)
1690 - Tobacco used in Europe (Plant/natural product)
1787 - Soaps used in Europe
1867 - Paris Green in US
1874 - DDT synthezized by Zeidler
1883 - Bordeau in France
1925 - Dinitro compounds (First synthetic organic insecticide)
1932 - Thiocyanates
1939 - DDT insecticidal property discovered by Paul Muller of Switzerland.
Paul Muller awarded Nobel Prize in 1948 for discovering insecticidal
property of DDT
1941 - BHC in France and UK (in 1942) (BHC is presently called as HCH)
1944 - Parathion (Organo phosphate) discovered by Gerhard Schrader in
Germany
1945 - Chlordane (Cyclodian compound) in Germany
1947 - Carbamate insecticides in Switzerland
1962 - Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring appears (US) (This is not a chemical. The
book ‘ Silent Spring’ created awareness about ill effects of pesticides)
1967 - First JH mimic (Juvenile Hormone mimic) used in US (Insect growth
regulator)
1970 - Development of synthetic pyrethroids (UK) (Fast degradation) (Effective
at very low doses)
1980 - Discovery of avermectins (derived from bacteria). Effective at low dose.
Fast degradation.
1990 - Discovery of newer groups like (1) Neonicotinoids (Imidacloprid),
similar to natural nicotin, (2) Spinosyns (e.g. Spinosad) derived from
actinomycet
TOXICITY PARAMETERS
Toxicity of a given chemical to an organism can be measured using various
parameters as listed below.
