Agronomy

Pests and their control are another significant problem agronomists must deal with. Pests can be defined as any organisms that interfere with some human purpose. In agriculture, the most important pests are weeds, insects and other defoliators, and disease-causing pathogens. The use of pesticides such as herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and antibiotics is a very important aspect of modern agriculture. Unfortunately, many pesticides cause important environmental damages, and many agronomists are attempting to develop systems that would decrease the reliance on pesticides in agriculture, while not compromising yields.