Editing Pesticide (section)

==Alternatives==
Alternatives to pesticides are available and include methods of cultivation, use of [[biological pest control]]s (such as pheromones and microbial pesticides), [[genetic engineering]] (mostly [[Genetically modified crops|of crops]]), and methods of interfering with insect breeding.<ref name="sustaining"/> Application of composted yard waste has also been used as a way of controlling pests.<ref name="nematodes">{{cite journal |vauthors=McSorley R, Gallaher RN |title=Effect of yard waste compost on nematode densities and maize yield |journal=Journal of Nematology |volume=28 |issue=4S |pages=655–60 |date=December 1996 |pmid=19277191 |pmc=2619736}}</ref>

These methods are becoming increasingly popular and often are safer than traditional chemical pesticides. In addition, EPA is registering reduced-risk pesticides in increasing numbers.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}

===Cultivation practices===
Cultivation practices include [[polyculture]] (growing multiple types of plants), [[crop rotation]], planting crops in areas where the pests that damage them do not live, timing planting according to when pests will be least problematic, and use of [[trap crop]]s that attract pests away from the real crop.<ref name="sustaining"/> Trap crops have successfully controlled pests in some commercial agricultural systems while reducing pesticide usage.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Shelton AM, Badenes-Perez FR |date=Dec 6, 2005 |title=Concepts and applications of trap cropping in pest management |journal=Annual Review of Entomology |volume=51 |issue=1 |pages=285–308 |doi=10.1146/annurev.ento.51.110104.150959 |pmid=16332213}}</ref> In other systems, trap crops can fail to reduce pest densities at a commercial scale, even when the trap crop works in controlled experiments.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Holden |first1=Matthew H. |last2=Ellner |first2=Stephen P. |last3=Lee |first3=Doo-Hyung |last4=Nyrop |first4=Jan P. |last5=Sanderson |first5=John P. |date=2012-06-01 |title=Designing an effective trap cropping strategy: the effects of attraction, retention and plant spatial distribution |journal=Journal of Applied Ecology |volume=49 |issue=3 |pages=715–722 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2664.2012.02137.x |bibcode=2012JApEc..49..715H |doi-access=free}}</ref>

===Use of other organisms===
Release of other organisms that fight the pest is another example of an alternative to pesticide use. These organisms can include natural [[predator]]s or [[parasite]]s of the pests.<ref name="sustaining"/> [[Biological pesticides]] based on [[entomopathogenic fungi]], [[bacteria]] and [[virus]]es causing disease in the pest species can also be used.<ref name="sustaining"/>

===Biological control engineering===
Interfering with insects' reproduction can be accomplished by [[Sterile insect technique|sterilizing males]] of the target species and releasing them, so that they [[mating|mate]] with females but do not produce offspring.<ref name="sustaining"/> This technique was first used on the [[Cochliomyia hominivorax|screwworm fly]] in 1958 and has since been used with the [[medfly]], the [[tsetse fly]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Biological Control of Pests |date=Jul 25, 2007 |url=http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/B/Biocontrols.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070921015356/http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/B/Biocontrols.html |archive-date=September 21, 2007 |access-date=Sep 17, 2007}}</ref> and the [[gypsy moth]].<ref>{{Cite book |title=Skylab, Classroom in Space |publisher=[[Marshall Space Flight Center|MSFC]] |year=1977 |editor-last=Summerlin |editor-first=Lee B. |location=Washington |chapter=Chapter 17: Life Sciences |access-date=Sep 17, 2007 |chapter-url=https://history.nasa.gov/SP-401/ch17.htm}}</ref> This is a costly and slow approach that only works on some types of insects.<ref name="sustaining"/>

===Other alternatives===
Other alternatives include "laserweeding" – the use of novel [[agricultural robot]]s for [[weed control]] [[agricultural technology|using lasers]].<ref name="interestingengineeringPapadopoulos">{{cite news |last1=Papadopoulos |first1=Loukia |title=This new farming robot uses lasers to kill 200,000 weeds per hour |url=https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/farming-robot-lasers-200000-weeds-per-hour |access-date=17 November 2022 |work=interestingengineering.com |date=21 October 2022}}</ref>

===Push pull strategy===
[[Push–pull agricultural pest management|Push-pull technique]]: intercropping with a "push" crop that repels the pest, and planting a "pull" crop on the boundary that attracts and traps it.<ref name=PushPull>{{cite journal |vauthors=Cook SM, Khan ZR, Pickett JA |title=The use of push-pull strategies in integrated pest management |journal=Annual Review of Entomology |volume=52 |issue=1 |pages=375–400 |year=2007 |doi=10.1146/annurev.ento.52.110405.091407 |pmid=16968206}}</ref>

=== Effectiveness ===
Some evidence shows that alternatives to pesticides can be equally effective as the use of chemicals. A study of [[Maize]] fields in northern Florida found that the application of composted yard waste with high [[carbon to nitrogen ratio]] to agricultural fields was highly effective at reducing the population of plant-parasitic [[nematode]]s and increasing crop yield, with yield increases ranging from 10% to 212%; the observed effects were long-term, often not appearing until the third season of the study.<ref name="nematodes" /> Additional [[silicon#Biological role|silicon]] nutrition protects some [[horticultural crop]]s against [[fungal plant pathogen|fungal diseases]] almost completely, while insufficient silicon sometimes leads to severe infection even when fungicides are used.<ref name="Epstein-1999">{{cite journal |last=Epstein |first=Emanuel |title=Silicon |journal=[[Annual Review of Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology]] |publisher=[[Annual Reviews (publisher)|Annual Reviews]] |volume=50 |issue=1 |year=1999 |issn=1040-2519 |doi=10.1146/annurev.arplant.50.1.641 |pages=641–664 |pmid=15012222}}</ref>

Pesticide resistance is increasing and that may make alternatives more attractive.