This book considers how pesticides selectively kill their target organisms.

The effects of artificial (and natural) pesticides on organisms other than the target organisms and on the environment in general have become increasingly important in recent years. This has been accentuated by the concerns over the damage these products can do to human health. This book considers pesticides from their fundamental properties as selective control agents. In the first part of this book, the mechanisms of action and basis of selectivity are considered for herbicides including plant growth regulators, fungicides, insecticides, vertebrate control agents and the dose rates required to achieve the desired effects. The second part of the book uses these factors to address environmental and health concerns about pesticides. Key features include descriptions of modern pesticides, modern risk assessments for both environment and public health, and a final comparative chapter on relative risk analysis of pesticides.

1. The rationale, principles and regulation of pesticide use
2. Herbicides and plant growth regulators
3. Fungicides
4. Insecticides and other compounds that control invertebrate pests
5. Soil sterilants, fumigants and vertebrate poisons
6. Pesticide toxicology
7. Pesticides and human health
8. Pesticides in the environment
9. Pesticides and non-target species
10. Public perceptions, comparative risk assessment, and future prospects for pesticides.