The Biochemistry and Uses of Pesticides

This second edition reflects the dramatic progress being made towards an understanding of how pesticides function, how metabolism contributes to selectivity and safety, and of how the development of resistance is linked to biochemistry and molecular biology.

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Increasing environmental awareness has meant that the use of pesticides is now at the centre of the scientific and ecological debate. This successful text has been updated to reflect recent developments in the understanding of how pesticides function, how metabolism contributes to selectivity and safety, and how the development of resistance is linked to biochemistry and molecular biology. Recent insights into the causes of neurotoxicity in insecticides are discussed, along with insect behaviour and life-style altering qualities of many new compounds. The increased importance of substances such as the formamidines, insect growth regulators and avermectins is reflected in this new edition by the allocation of an additional chapter. Similarly, recent advances in the understanding of insect resistance are now discussed together in a separate chapter rather than piecemeal under several headings. Impressive advances in the understanding of fungicide action have permitted a more rational function-based classification than was previously possible, including a regrouping of the numerous types of substances used as systemic fungicides.
Since the appearance of the first edition, several new groups of herbicides have been introduced, many of which are of great practical value and academic interest. This new edition covers this recent proliferation by sub-dividing the discussion of herbicide compounds into chapters that reflect their differing agricultural usage.