The question is not organic vs. chemical or chemical vs. organic since organic growers do use chemicals such as Bt. It is the toxin from the soil bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis. In 1997 Bt was the most heavily used pesticide on organic farms. The real question that is typically overlooked is, toxic vs. non-toxic. For example:
Nicotine, one of the more toxic organic insecticides, has a rat LD50 (lethal dose in 50% of animals tested) of 55mg/kg. The synthetic insecticide, imidacloprid, has a rat LD50 of 425mg/kg, making imidacloprid nearly 10 times less toxic than nicotine. Yet nicotine is "organic". Rotenone has an LD50 of 60-1500 mg/kg and is more acutely toxic than Malathion or Sevin. Cats are highly susceptible to pyrethrum. But Rotenone is "organic".
We are a conventionally grown fruit orchard and I would never use either Bt or Rotenone. I don't use Malathion and only use Sevin as a thinner at 1/2 to 1/4 rate. I don't wnat to kill our beneficials!
Dennis Norton
Royal Oak Farm
Orchard
Office (815) 648-4467
Mobile (815) 228-2174
Fax (609)
228-2174
http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com
http://www.theorchardkeeper.blogspot.com
http://www.revivalhymn.com
Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.