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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Pesticide resistance

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  • From: Richard Robinson <rrobinson AT nasw.org>
  • To: "elsaella AT yahoo.com, Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Pesticide resistance
  • Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:53:19 -0400

On Sat, 16 Aug 2008 04:39:40 -0700 (PDT), Andrea wrote:
>> Hello,Can anyone help me with with the following. How does an insect or a
>> weed become resistant to a pesticide. What goes on in their system to creat
>> this resistancy?Also, I know that there's no virucide out there, or at
>> least used not to. Are there any known products out there now against plant
>> viruses?ThanksAndrea Weber

Development of resistance is a classic example of natural selection in
action. Individual members of a pest species vary in their intrinsic
resistance to the pesticide--for example, their ability to detoxify it, the
thickness of their cuticles, etc. Those most susceptible die off quickest. If
the treatment hasn't killed every last one of the pests, those remaining
breed and their offspring inherit their intrinsic resistance.

One goal of organic gardening is to create very healthy plants, which are
resistant to insect pests. Another goal is to maintain an ecosystem complex
enough that a single pest cannot remain long at high numbers, as its enemies
are legion.

That said, I discovered this morning that my rutabagas are history...

--
Richard Robinson
http://www.nasw.org/users/rrobinson/







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