Arable ecosystems and the use of agrochemicals.

Abstract

For some time now there has been widespread concern that the use of agrochemicals may be making a substantial contribution, directly or indirectly, to the pollution of the ecosphere. Indeed, it has been claimed (Anon. 1971) that the agricultural environment itself is being degraded with the use of agrochemicals. However, this has yet to be convincingly demonstrated and the present paper describes investigations now being carried out on some of the effects of agrochemicals on cereal and grassland ecosystems. The agrochemicals considered here are the fungicides, herbicides, insecticides and molluscicides, collectively known as pesticides.