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Agrochemical

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For the football club, see Agrochemical F.C.
The Passaic Agricultural Chemical Works in Newark, New Jersey, 1876

An agrochemical or agrichemical, a contraction of agricultural chemical, is a chemical product used in conventional or industrial agriculture.[1] Agrochemical typically refers to pesticides (including insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and nematicides) and synthetic fertilizers. The term agrochemical is sometimes used informally synonymously with pesticides, sometimes also informally to mean pesticides and fertilizers, and sometimes more correctly to include all chemicals used in agriculture.[2][3] Other chemicals used in agriculture are; plant hormones and plant growth regulators (PGRs),[4] insect attractants,[5] insect repellents, plant defense inducers,[6] herbicide safeners,[7] adjuvents and co-formulants,[8] soil conditioners and soil amendments,[9] liming and acidifying agents. For livestock feed additives,[10] animal growth regulators,[11] anthelmintics[12] and other antiparasitics are used.

Manufacture

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Pesticides and fertilizers are manufactured differently. Nitrogen fertilizers are made from ammonia (NH3) produced by the Haber–Bosch process.[13] Potassium [14] and phosphate[15] fertilizers are made from minerals. Most pesticides are made indirectly from petrochemicals,[16] some are made biologically.[17]

Market and amounts used

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Total pesticides use in agriculture in 2021 was 3.54 million tonnes of active ingredients.user.[18] In 2018 world pesticide sales were estimated to be $65 billion, of which 88% was used for agriculture.[19] ChemChina (with subsidiaries Syngenta and Adama), Bayer Crop Science, BASF and Corteva Agriscience together represented about 60 per cent of the agricultural pesticide market in 2018.[19]

In 2018 120 million tons (Mt) of nitrogen (elemental), 44 Mt of phosphorus (P2O5), and 45 Mt of potassium (K2O) fertilizers were used.[20] Global sales revenues for inorganic fertilizers in 2018 were reported to be about USD 151 billion.[20] In the case of nitrogen and phosphorus, China, the United States, India, and Russia dominate production capacity. Canada is by far the biggest producer of potassium. In each country only a few manufacturers dominate the market, and they are different in each county, and different to the pesticide companies.[20]

Other agrochemicals have smaller sales figures.

History

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Compost and manure were used historically as fertilizer. Manufacture of inorganic fertilizers started in the early 20th century, with a huge increase in production over the second half of the 20th century.[21]

Inorganic pesticides were used thousands of years ago in Sumeria and China.[22] The manufacture of organic chemical pesticides started in the middle of the 20th century. The majority of pesticides were developed in the late 20th century, and their use expanded greatly during the Green Revolution.[23][24]

Application process

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Main article: Pesticide application

Agrochemicals can be applied in several ways.[25][26] Conventional application methods include foliar sprays, and root drenches, broadcasting of granules, and seed coating.

Ecological toxicity

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Main articles: Agricultural pollution and Environmental impact of pesticides

Agrochemicals, especially when improperly used or released in local environments, have led to a number of public health and environmental issues.[24] Agrochemicals and their production can be significant environmental pollution.[24] Agrochemicals are responsible for significant damage to waterways through runoff, and inproperly stored agrochemicals and agrochemical wastes are responsible for spills, especially during extreme weather events.[27][24] Following the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, increased global attention has been paid to these ecological impacts of certain classes of chemicals, both in terms of effects on ecosystems and biodiversity loss.

Many agrochemicals are toxic, and agrichemicals in bulk storage may pose significant environmental and/or health risks, particularly in the event of accidental spills. In many countries, use of agrichemicals is highly regulated. Government-issued permits for purchase and use of approved agrichemicals may be required. Significant penalties can result from misuse, including improper storage resulting in spillage. On farms, proper storage facilities and labeling, emergency clean-up equipment and procedures, and safety equipment and procedures for handling, application and disposal are often subject to mandatory standards and regulations. Usually, the regulations are carried out through the registration process.

For instance, bovine somatotropin, though widely used in the United States, is not approved in Canada and some other jurisdictions as there are concerns for the health of cows using it.

Alternatives

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Several systems of farming use reduced amounts or no agrochemicals. They include sustainable agriculture approaches such as organic farming, biodynamic farming, agroecology,[28] vertical farming ,[29] no-till farming, polyculture, permaculture, intercropping, regenerative agriculture, organopónicos, hydroponics, nutrient cycling, shifting cultivation, crop rotation, soil steaming, biofumigation, precision agriculture, companion planting, mixed cropping, composting, biological pest control, integrated farming, integrated pest management, mulching, biointensive agriculture, natural farming.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Jastrzębska, Magdalena; Kostrzewska, Marta; Saeid, Agnieszka (2022-01-01), Chojnacka, Katarzyna; Saeid, Agnieszka (eds.), "Chapter 1 - Conventional agrochemicals: Pros and cons", Smart Agrochemicals for Sustainable Agriculture, Academic Press, pp. 1–28, ISBN 978-0-12-817036-6, retrieved 2024-10-31
  2. ^ Curley, Robert. "agrochemical, agricultural technology". Britannica (encyclopedia Britannica). Retrieved 24 June 2025.
  3. ^ "Agrochemical". .” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
  4. ^ Haas, Hans-Ulrich (2019). "Chapter 12. New Aspects of Plant Regulators". In Peter, Jeschke; Witschel, Matthias; Krämer, Wolfgang; Schirmer, Ulrich (eds.). Modern Crop Protection Compounds (3rd ed.). Wiley (published 25 January 2019). pp. 571–584. doi:10.1002/9783527699261.ch29. ISBN 9783527699261.
  5. ^ Gregg, Peter C.; Del Socorro, Alice P.; Landolt, Peter J. (2018-01-07). "Advances in Attract-and-Kill for Agricultural Pests: Beyond Pheromones". Annual Review of Entomology. 63 (1): 453–470. doi:10.1146/annurev-ento-031616-035040. ISSN 0066-4170.
  6. ^ Toquin, Valerie; Braun, Christoph A.; Sirven, Catherine; Assmann, Lutz; Sawada, Haruko (2019). "Chapter 26. Host Defense Inducers". In Peter, Jeschke; Witschel, Matthias; Krämer, Wolfgang; Schirmer, Ulrich (eds.). Modern Crop Protection Compounds (3rd ed.). Wiley (published 25 January 2019). pp. 959–978. doi:10.1002/9783527699261.ch26. ISBN 9783527699261.
  7. ^ Rosinger, Chris; Schulte, Wolfgang (2019). "Chapter 8. Safeners for Herbicides". In Peter, Jeschke; Witschel, Matthias; Krämer, Wolfgang; Schirmer, Ulrich (eds.). Modern Crop Protection Compounds (3rd ed.). Wiley (published 25 January 2019). pp. 425–450. doi:10.1002/9783527699261.ch8. ISBN 9783527699261.
  8. ^ Hazra, Dipak Kumar; Purkait, Aloke (2019). "Role of pesticide formulations for sustainable crop protection and environment management: A review". Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry. 8 (2): 686–693.
  9. ^ Uzupis, Denise. "Soil & Plant Amendments". Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, department of agriculture. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
  10. ^ Djuragic, Olivera; Čabarkapa, Ivana; Milašinović Šeremešić, Marija; Rakita, Slađana; Tomičić, Zorica (2023). "Feed Additives, Their Role, and Technological Properties". In Arsenos, Georgios; Giannenas, Ilias (eds.). Sustainable Use of Feed Additives in Livestock. 6330 Cham, Switzerland: Springer. pp. 17–45. ISBN 978-3-031-42854-8. {{cite book}}: Missing |editor1= (help)CS1 maint: location (link)
  11. ^ Smith, Zachary K. (September 2024). "Overview of Growth Promotants and Production Enhancers in Animals". MSD Veterinary Manual. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
  12. ^ Claerebout, Edwin (April 2025). "Anthelmintic Drugs for Animals". MSD Veterinary Manual. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
  13. ^ Smil, Vaclav (2004). Enriching the Earth. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. p. 135. ISBN 978-0-262-69313-4.
  14. ^ Vasant Gowariker, V. N. Krishnamurthy, Sudha Gowariker, Manik Dhanorkar, Kalyani Paranjape "The Fertilizer Encyclopedia" 2009, John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-41034-9. Online ISBN 978-0-470-43177-1. doi:10.1002/9780470431771
  15. ^ Cordell, Dana; Drangert, Jan-Olof; White, Stuart (2009). "The story of phosphorus: Global food security and food for thought". Global Environmental Change. 19 (2): 292–305. Bibcode:2009GEC....19..292C. doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2008.10.009. S2CID 1450932.
  16. ^ Peter, Jeschke; Witschel, Matthias; Krämer, Wolfgang; Schirmer, Ulrich, eds. (2019). Modern Crop Protection Compounds (3rd ed.). Wiley (published 25 January 2019). doi:10.1002/9783527699261. ISBN 9783527699261.
  17. ^ Sparks, Thomas C. (2023). "Natural Product-Based Crop Protection Compounds─Origins and Future Prospects". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 71 (5): 2259–2269. Bibcode:2023JAFC...71.2259S. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.2c06938. PMID 36693160. S2CID 256230724.
  18. ^ "Pesticides use and trade 1990–2021" (PDF). Food and agricultural organisation of the united nations. 2023. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  19. ^ a b "Chapter 2. Status and trends of pesticide use" (PDF). Environmental and Health Impacts of Pesticides and Fertilizers and Ways of Minimizing Them. Envisioning A Chemical-Safe World. United Nations Environment Programme [UNEP]. 2022.
  20. ^ a b c "Chapter 7. Status and Trends of Fertilizer Use" (PDF). Environmental and Health Impacts of Pesticides and Fertilizers and Ways of Minimizing Them. Envisioning A Chemical-Safe World. United Nations Environment Programme [UNEP]. 2022.
  21. ^ Smil, Vaclav (2004). Enriching the Earth: Fritz Haber, Carl Bosch, and the Transformation of World Food Production. MIT Press. ISBN 9780262693134.
  22. ^ Unsworth, John (10 May 2010). "History of Pesticide Use". International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.
  23. ^ Carvalho, Fernando P. (2006). "Agriculture, pesticides, food security and food safety". Environmental Science & Policy. 9 (7–8). Elsevier BV: 685–692. Bibcode:2006ESPol...9..685C. doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2006.08.002. ISSN 1462-9011.
  24. ^ a b c d Devi, P. Indira; Manjula, M.; Bhavani, R.V. (2022-10-17). "Agrochemicals, Environment, and Human Health". Annual Review of Environment and Resources. 47 (1): 399–421. doi:10.1146/annurev-environ-120920-111015. ISSN 1543-5938.
  25. ^ Matthews, G. A.; Bateman, Roy; Miller, Paul (2014). Pesticide Application Methods 4th Edition (4th ed.). 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford, OX4 2DQ, UK: Wiley Blackwell. doi:10.1002/9781118351284. ISBN 9781118351284.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  26. ^ Bessin, Ric (2016). "Pesticide Application Equipment and Methods". Kentucky Pesticide Safety Education Program. University of Kentucky. Retrieved 9 July 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. ^ Anenberg, Susan C.; Kalman, Casey (May 2019). "Extreme Weather, Chemical Facilities, and Vulnerable Communities in the U.S. Gulf Coast: A Disastrous Combination". GeoHealth. 3 (5): 122–126. Bibcode:2019GHeal...3..122A. doi:10.1029/2019GH000197. ISSN 2471-1403. PMC 7038901. PMID 32159036.
  28. ^ Ganguly, Ram K.; Mukherjee, Arpan; Chakraborty, Susanta K.; Verma, Jay Prakash (2021-01-01), Verma, Jay Prakash; Macdonald, Catriona A.; Gupta, Vijai Kumar; Podile, Appa Rao (eds.), "Chapter 2 - Impact of agrochemical application in sustainable agriculture", New and Future Developments in Microbial Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Elsevier, pp. 15–24, ISBN 978-0-444-64325-4, retrieved 2024-10-31
  29. ^ Marks, Paul (15 January 2014). "Vertical farms sprouting all over the world". New Scientist. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
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