You’re running a successful agribusiness. What crop protection products do you need to keep it that way?

Crop protection products fall into four categories: herbicides control weeds, insecticides combat crop-damaging insects, fungicides prevent or treat fungal infections, and biopesticides, sourced from natural origins, have a lower environmental impact than synthetic alternatives.

The main categories of crop protection products include: 1. **Herbicides:** - Used to control weeds that compete with crops for water, nutrients, and light. 2. **Insecticides:** - Used to kill or repel insects that feed on or damage crops. 3. **Fungicides:** - Used to prevent or treat fungal infections that can cause diseases and spoilage. 4. **Biopesticides:** - Derived from natural sources like plants, bacteria, or fungi, with a lower environmental impact compared to synthetic pesticides.

-Utilize effective pesticides and herbicides to protect crops from pests and weeds. -Implement crop rotation and integrated pest management for sustainable and long-term success in agribusiness.

Every agricultural chemical that ends with "cide" could only be sucesfull in short term. Over long term you would not see each of your previously "sucessful" products no longer working. Why? Plants, Insects, Bacteria and funfgi now developed resistance to them. But the "success" does not end there. The "success" crop protection products probably eliminated many natural preditors that were controlling your pests in the field for free. Instead of relying heavily on agricultural chemicals think of designing agroecosystems that promote agroecosystem services that would promote agroecosystem stability without external inputs. Google Blue Dasher Farm as a starting point.

This classification of crop protection products, while comprehensive, oversimplifies the complex ecological implications. Herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides, even when used with care, can disrupt natural ecosystems, harming beneficial organisms and soil health. Their use can lead to resistance in pests and weeds, necessitating stronger chemicals. Biopesticides, though derived from natural sources, are not a panacea; they still require careful management to avoid unintended ecological impacts. This approach often ignores the root causes of agricultural issues, such as soil imbalances and biodiversity loss, which can be addressed more sustainably through practices like Syntropic Farming.

When choosing crop protection products: - **Pest Problem:** - Assess type and severity of the pest issue. - **Crop Stage:** - Consider current crop stage and growth cycle. - **Efficacy:** - Examine product effectiveness against specific pests. - **Cost:** - Factor in product cost and availability. - **Label and Registration:** - Ensure proper labeling and registration for your region. - **Safety:** - Evaluate product safety and environmental impact. - **Integrated Pest Management (IPM):** - Follow IPM principles for holistic pest control.

Integrated pest management (IPM) still leans heavily on conventional methods, including chemical use. It overlooks more sustainable, holistic alternatives like Syntropic Farming, which focuses on creating balanced ecosystems where pests naturally regulate themselves. Syntropic methods emphasize enhancing soil health, fostering biodiversity, and utilizing natural pest predators, thus reducing the need for external inputs. This approach not only addresses pest issues but also nurtures the overall environmental health, eliminating the need for chemical interventions. By aligning with natural processes, farmers can achieve effective pest control while ensuring safety and sustainability.

Herbicide modes of action that are used to control weeds are no longer effective because of resistance to multiple modes of action. I am afraid that the solution to develop new modes of action going to solve the problem. Selecting a new mode of action is only going to postpone bigger and more challenging issues. Intelligent weed management requires selective, site-specific disturbances that would not trigger weed germination and return of seeds to the weed seed bank in the first place.

Product selection criteria as per my personal priorities: - Efficacy - Safety - Crop Safety - Resistance Management - Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Compatibility - Cost-Effectiveness - Mode of Action - Environmental Impact - Residual Activity - Compatibility - Local Adaptability - Ease of Application

When applying crop protection products: - **Method Selection:** - Choose from methods like spraying, dusting, granulating, baiting, fumigating, or injecting. - **Considerations:** - Factor in product formulation, target pest, crop type, size, weather conditions, equipment, and labor. - **Label Instructions:** - Follow product label instructions for proper application. - **Best Practices:** - Adhere to best practices for calibration, mixing, loading, spraying, cleaning, and disposal. - **Optimal Results:** - Ensure correct application to achieve optimal results and prevent wastage, resistance, or damage.

I think use of pest control products should be based on deeply thought pest control thresholds and only when absence of application may result in irreversible yield losses. For example, applying herbicides, early during the critical period of weed control only using rates and products that are tailored to weed community composition, stage in their lifecycle and density.

Top priorities when considering application method: - Precision and Accuracy - Uniform Coverage - Ease of Calibration - Safety for Applicators - Compatibility with Formulation - Environmental Impact - Flexibility - Integration with Other Practices - Time and Labor Efficiency - Equipment Availability and Maintenance - Residue Management - Cost-Effectiveness

To evaluate weed management effectiveness think of long and short-term effects. Herbicides as a single weed management tool may not be a robust long-term solution. To reduce phytotoxicity and post-application negative effects on non-target vegetation integrate non-chemical weed management tools. Such as choice of competitive cultivar, increased seeding rate and narrow row spacing. They would provide additive weed control, reduce cost, and make your farming practices more long-term sustainable.

Key steps for running a proper product monitoring and evaluation: - Define clear objectives - Establish baseline data - Use appropriate metrics- crop yield, pest populations, overall plant health and etc... - Regular field inspections - Sampling and analysis - Data recording - Compare with control arable plot - Monitor environmental impact - Evaluate economic impact - Consider weather conditions - Get farmer feedback - Document adverse effects - Verify for pest resistance

Store products in a dedicated, well-ventilated area with secure, locked storage. Keep them away from food, animal feed, and water sources. Store liquids and solids separately, following product-specific temperature guidelines. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves and goggles. Follow precise mixing and application instructions from product labels. Avoid spills and leaks during handling to prevent environmental contamination. Clean equipment thoroughly after use and dispose of containers responsibly. For more information read labels carefully and safety data sheets that you should require when purchasing a crop protection product

Apart from the four listed above, there may be few other business avenues. Can we also see prevention as a crop protection strategy wherein we can focus on soil fertility management, integrated nutrient, management, improved tools for efficient application, use of nano technology based products such as nano tech based neem oil etc. Additionally, creating videos /posters on safe use and storage of the pest management solutions may enhance the brand equity of the company.

Invest in: - Employee training - Better waste management - Climate resilience - New technologies adoption - Better water management

An Example I've seen, The successful agripreneurs always keep in the mind the geographical situation, climatic conditions, farmers behavioural changes and trends of markets during there business. Crop protection products is one of the component of agribusiness but apart from that various services may be explored such as soil testing and water testing ,crop advisory, agricultural implements etc. There are lots of crop protection products in the following category as per farmers requirements as below: 1.Herbicides 2.Insecticides 3.Fungicides 4.Plant growth Regulators 5.Biostimulants 6.Pesticides 7.Seed Treatments 8. imidaclopride 9.Glyphisate