PESTICIDES IN AGRICULTURE : THE IMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDES ON HUMANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT, AND THEIR ALTERNATIVE AND BIOREMEDIATION

Pesticides have been used since ancient times and they can be chemical or natural-based. Pesticides are used to manage weeds and insect invasion in agriculture and also to control various pests and disease-carrying organisms, such as mice, rats, ticks, and mosquitoes, in houses, offices, and shops. Approximately one-third of agricultural production depends on the different types of pesticide applications. The widespread production and usage of chemical pesticides in modern agriculture have detrimental health impacts on both humans and animals and harm the natural environment. Thus, besides chemical pesticides, farmers use different environmentally friendly biopesticides such as microorganism-based, phytochemical, and others. Pesticides and their residues leach into the lower levels of soil, contaminating groundwater and the whole environment. There are some drawbacks to chemical and physical pesticide degradation methods. Bioremediation of pesticides by using plant growth promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) is an alternative to chemical and physical methods because it is environment friendly and more efficient.