Crops can fall ill or be infested with pests, often leading to reduced agricultural yields. To ensure a good harvest, farmers typically rely on resistant crop varieties, proper fertilization and irrigation, and biological or cultural control methods. However, spraying pesticides remains a common emergency measure. Unfortunately, many farmers misunderstand the use of pesticides, adopting a "see a pest, kill it" approach. This leads to excessive pesticide applications—sometimes multiple times or even more than ten times during a single growing season. Such practices not only increase costs but also harm the environment and contaminate agricultural products.
Firstly, the mindset of "treat pests as they appear and cure diseases when they occur" is not aligned with reality. Most farming is conducted in open environments, and even controlled spaces like greenhouses are not completely isolated from nature. It’s unrealistic to expect the total elimination of all pests and diseases. Instead, a more sustainable approach involves managing them rather than trying to eradicate them entirely.
Secondly, agriculture, like any industry, follows economic principles. The core idea is that the output should exceed the input. If pest or disease levels are low and cause minimal damage, it may not be economically wise to spend resources on treatment. Therefore, current guidelines set thresholds for pest and disease levels. Only when these levels exceed certain limits does intervention become cost-effective and necessary.
Many so-called pests and weeds are not inherently harmful. They often appear at the wrong time or place, but they play important roles in the ecosystem. For example, Setaria viridis is the ancestor of cultivated millet, and the mosaic virus that affects tulips actually enhances their ornamental value. Our perception of these organisms needs to shift—from hostility to tolerance, and from prevention to management. This means allowing a certain number of pests to coexist without causing significant harm.
Controlling pests based on economic thresholds and predefined action levels represents progress in modern agriculture and plant protection. Society and consumers should support this approach. To reduce pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables, consumers should not demand that produce be completely free of insects. In most cases, simply removing visible pests is sufficient. Embracing this mindset can lead to more sustainable and environmentally friendly farming practices.
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