Term (lat. pestis = pestilence, caedere = to kill) for chemical substances that kill or expel troublesome or harmful animal and plant organisms or inhibit their germination, growth or reproduction. In the field of plant protection, these include plant protection products, and in the field of pest control, biocides. In the narrower sense, pesticides are means of combating animal pests, although the term was used in this sense primarily in English-speaking countries (pests). In some cases, pesticides are equated with insecticides. In a broader sense, however, pesticides are used to refer to all plant protection products as well as pest control agents. According to EU regulations, there is a definition of "pesticide" which includes both plant protection products and biocidal products. In the legal regulations of the German-speaking countries, however, the term "pesticide" is rarely used. The picture on the left shows a vine treated with conventional pesticides (chemical sprays).
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Thomas Götz
Weinberater, Weinblogger und Journalist; Schwendi