Skip to main content

Safe Use of Pesticides in Food Production; a Report [by] W.J. Darby, Chairman ... [Et Al.] (1956) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:

The process of discovering and developing a safe pesticide
Pages 4-6

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 4...
... Number of applications and, particularly, the date of last application THE PROCESS OF DISCOVERING AND DEVELOPING A SAFE PESTICIDE Chemicals for use in agricultural pest control are discovered by extensive testing of materials from four sources: 1. Inorganic compounds usually containing a metal or sulfur but no carbon or nitrogen 2.
Read the entire page →
From page 5...
... By the time one successful compound is conceived of by a chemist, evaluated by a biologist, synthesized commercially by chemical engineers, evaluated for field performance by industry and public agencies, certified for activity by government, and shown to be safe for use, a bill of one to two million dollars may have been incurred. This includes not only the actual cost of the one successful compound but also the costs incurred by all the failures encountered.
Read the entire page →
From page 6...
... After extensive small-plot field trials have indicated that a material is an effective pesticide and may be commercially developed, it should be subjected to feeding tests on animals to determine subacute and chronic toxicity. While the chronic toxicity tests are in progress, analytical procedures must be perfected and data obtained on residues remaining in or on the edible portions of various crops at harvest time.
Read the entire page →

Key Terms

  • synthetic organic
  • residue data
  • analytical methods
  • chronic toxicity
  • toxicity tests

  • pest control
  • acute toxicity
  • maximum residue
  • agricultural pest
  • field research

  • delay field
  • residue tolerances
  • human food
  • tory period
  • organic chemicals

  • representative conditions
  • develop analytical
  • proposed field
  • organic pesticides
  • tory production

  • develop additional
  • routine field
  • termine residues
  • replicated field
  • analytical procedures

  • initial toxicology
  • sufficient data
  • adequate data
  • ther knowledge
  • compounds usually


    • This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
    More information on Chapter Skim is available.