The release of pesticides into the air largely depends upon the physical and chemical properties of the active compound, application procedure and changing environment conditions. The commercial use of pesticides in agriculture produces vapors of pesticides that have the ability to become air pollutant. Extensive use of pesticides contaminates soil and water, remain in the crops and finally enter food chain, thereby posing threat to the human beings. Pesticides are applied to increase crop productivity however, in due course of time, they get accumulated in plant parts, water, soil, air and biota. Moreover, it has been estimated that by the year 2020, the global pesticide usage will increase up to 3.5 million tonnes. The top ten pesticide consuming countries in the world are China, the USA, Argentina, Thailand, Brazil, Italy, France, Canada, Japan and India. Presently, throughout the globe approximately 2 million tonnes of pesticides are utilized, out of which 47.5% are herbicides, 29.5% are insecticides, 17.5% are fungicides and 5.5% are other pesticides. But application of chemical pesticides is still preferred the most over all other alternatives to protect crops from yield loss. Developing some pest-resistant crop varieties using transgenic approaches is also one method to avoid pesticide use.
There may be other alternatives available to control crop loss due to pest attack which may include the application of various biopesticides. Certain pesticides like dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), chlordane, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, mirex, heptachlor and hexachlorobenzene impart deleterious effects on human health and environment. These pesticides are known to hinder the normal functioning of endocrine and reproductive systems in living organisms. The persistent and ubiquitous nature of various agriculture-based pesticides and other organic pollutants has posed havoc to the mankind due to their bioaccumulation properties and high toxicity. Injudicious use of pesticides and other persistent organic pollutants in agricultural soils have devastated future repercussions. However, in the last half of the nineteenth century, robust growth in the world economy including both industrial and agricultural sectors has led to the progressive mount in the generation and utilization of agriculture-based chemicals which often induce calamitous effects on the environment. Approximately, 45% of the annual food production is lost due to pest infestation therefore, effective pest management by using wide range of pesticides is required to confront pests and to increase the crop production. In the process of agricultural development, pesticides became a vital tool for plant protection and for enhancing crop yield. Pesticides include a wide range of herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, rodenticides, nematicides, etc. Pesticides are the chemicals (natural or synthetic) employed in various agricultural practices to control pests, weeds and diseases in plants. In the present manuscript, an attempt has been made to critically review the global usage of different pesticides and their major adverse impacts on ecosystem, which will provide guidance for a wide range of researchers in this area.
Diverse pesticides directly or indirectly polluted air, water, soil and overall ecosystem which cause serious health hazard for living being. Although pesticides are beneficial for crop production point of view, extensive use of pesticides can possess serious consequences because of their bio-magnification and persistent nature. However, by the year 2020, the global pesticide usage has been estimated to increase up to 3.5 million tonnes. Approximately, 2 million tonnes of pesticides are utilized annually worldwide, where China is the major contributing country, followed by the USA and Argentina, which is increasing rapidly. Pesticides are extensively used in modern agriculture and are an effective and economical way to enhance the yield quality and quantity, thus ensuring food security for the ever-growing population around the globe.