Ministry of Agriculture and Lands
Glossary - Pesticides
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| active ingredient | The portion of a pesticide formulation that is responsible for the desired effect. |
| allomone | A substance produced by a species that affects the behaviour of other species, to the benefit of the species that produces it. |
| biopesticide | Pesticide used for biological control. These include microbial pesticides, some pheremones, and other semiochemicals. |
| broad-spectrum pesticide | pesticide that controls a wide range of pests when applied correctly. |
| cuticle | A nonliving outer layer covering all or part of an organism. |
| diluent | A solid or liquid material used to dilute the pesticide to a suitable strength for application. |
| half life | The time it takes for one half of the initial amount of a substance to degrade in the environment. |
| invertebrate | Organism without a backbone or spinal column. |
| kairomone | A substance produced by a species that beneficially effects the behaviour of other species. |
| microbial pesticides | Pesticides derived from microbes. Microbial pesticides contain a bacterium, fungus, virus, protozoan, or alga as the active ingredient. |
| mitigate | To make of become milder or less severe. |
| mitochondria | The part of a cell responsible for energy generation. |
| mycelial | Related to the vegetative part of a fungus. |
| mycelium | The vegetative part of a fungus. |
| pest | An undesirable organism. |
| pesticide | A micro-organism or material that is represented, sold, used or intended to be used to prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate a pest. |
| pheromone | A substance produced by members of a species that affects the behaviour of other individuals of the same species. |
| phloem | The part of the vascular system in plants where the sap moves from the site of production (i.e. leaves) to the site of use (i.e. roots). |
| potable | Suitable for drinking. |
| semiochemical | A chemical produced by one species, or a synthetic analogue of that chemical, that evokes a behavioural response in another species. Three classes of semiochemicals include pheromones, allomones and kairomones. |
| suspension | A mixture containing finely divided particles that are dispersed, but not dissolved, in a solid, liquid or gas. For example a wettable powder in water. |
| synergist | A chemical that increases the level of toxicity of the pesticide it is mixed with. The synergist may or may not have its own pesticidal properties. |
| translaminar | A type of local systemic activity, where the translaminar pesticide penetrates into the leaf and moves through the leaf tissue to protect the untreated side of the leaf. |
| volatile | A compound is volatile when it evaporates (changes from a liquid or solid to a gas) at ordinary temperature when exposed to air. |
| xylem | The part of the vascular system in plants that carries water and mineral nutrients from the roots to other parts of the plant. |
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