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The problem of antibiotic resistance is no longer limited to humans only, but its impact is clearly visible in agriculture as well. Just as antibiotics become ineffective in the human body due to continuous use of medicines for a long time, in the same way, due to excessive and wrong use of pesticides and antibiotics in the agricultural sector, crop diseases are becoming stronger against these medicines.
Aligarh. Antibiotic resistance is no longer limited to humans only, but its impact is clearly visible in agriculture as well. Just as antibiotics become ineffective in the human body due to continuous use of medicines, in the same way, due to excessive and wrong use of pesticides and antibiotics in the agricultural sector, crop diseases are becoming stronger against these medicines. Its direct threat is not only on the production of farmers, but can also affect the health of common people through the food chain.
Giving information, researcher Shirjeel Ahmed Siddiqui of the Agriculture Department of AMU said that the problem of reduced effectiveness of antibiotics, antifungal and antimicrobial medicines is no longer limited to humans only, but the same situation is being seen in the agricultural sector as well. In scientific language it is called resistance. Just as in humans, if the same medicine is used for a long time, that medicine stops being effective, in the same way, in agriculture, due to continuous and wrong use of pesticides, herbicides and antibiotics, their effect on crop diseases gets reduced.
effect stops
Researcher Shirjeel Ahmed Siddiqui said that in the agricultural sector, farmers usually use large quantities of chemical pesticides and herbicides to eliminate weeds, pests and microorganisms. At the same time, antibiotics are also used extensively in animal husbandry and livestock farming. When all these chemicals are used continuously for a long time without the correct quantity and method, then after a time the same medicines and pesticides do not show the same effect as before. Research has also revealed that the medicines which earlier used to eliminate crop diseases, become ineffective against the same disease after some time.
huge loss on the health of crops
The researcher said that its biggest loss is on the health of the crops. Wrong and excessive use of pesticides not only kills the target insects but also destroys the beneficial microorganisms present in the field. Also, bacteria and fungus gradually become stronger against medicines. As a result, the same disease appears in a more dangerous form next time. The impact of this problem reaches the food chain. If resistant varieties of bacteria or fungus develop in a crop and the same crop reaches humans as food, then these microorganisms can enter the human body and make the problem of antibiotic resistance more serious. Due to this, treatment of diseases may become more difficult in future.
Helpline numbers and expert services available
He said that the most important thing for prevention is that pesticides and antibiotics should be used in limited, correct quantity and in the right way. There are different medicines and their prescribed dosage for each crop, following which is very important. One should avoid using medicines unnecessarily and randomly. Apart from this, farming centers, helpline numbers and expert services are available to the farmers set by the Agriculture Department, from where information can be obtained as to which pesticide is necessary for which crop or not. Also, adopting biopesticides and natural methods instead of chemical alternatives is also a safe and sustainable solution. If indiscriminate use of chemical drugs is not controlled in time, then its damage can be seen not only on agriculture but also on human health for a long time.
