Reducing Environmental Impact of Agricultural Practices
Chemical herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers are an integral part of intensive agriculture, designed to achieve maximum yields. However, their excessive use on a regular basis caused environmental hazards, because majority of the toxic chemicals used as herbicides, pesticides or fungicides and fertilizers either do not undergo biodegradation or they undergo degradation (by microorganisms or ultraviolet light) releasing pollutants in the environment. Following solutions to this problem of pollution are being tried under biotechnology programmes.