Re: how does pesticides affect the growth of plants

Pesticides are a group of chemical agents which are used to control 
unwanted pests.  In agricultural, three types of pesticides are generally 
use; herbicides (chemicals used to control weeds); insecticides (chemicals 
used to prevent insect damage); and fungicides (chemicals used to contol 
fungus growth on plants).  When properly applied, pesticides are 
benificial to plant growth by preventing damage due to insect feeding and 
to reduce competition for nutrients by eliminating weeds.  Fungicides are 
used more in Europe than in the US but they are very important in 
preventing a variety of plant disease. In the United States, most 
insecticides are applied to cotton and corn, most herbicides are applied 
to corn and soybeans, and most fungicides are applied to fruit and 
vegetable crops. Agricultural pesticides prevent billions of dollars in 
losses each year in the United States. For more information about 
agricultural pesticides visit the FMC home page at www.fmc.com.