Fungicide
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A Fungicide is one of three main methods of pest control- chemical control of fungi in this case. Fungicides are chemical compounds used to prevent the spread of fungi in gardens and crops, which can cause serious damage to the plants. Fungicides are also used to fight fungal infections.
Fungicides can either be contact or systemic. A contact fungicide kills fungi when sprayed on its surface. A systemic fungicide has to be absorbed by the fungi before the fungi dies. One example is the QoI.
It is used in agriculture to avoid fungus growth because this can harm profits, Corn is often sprayed with fungicides and some fungicides are genitically modified to make sure that they get to work straight away by damaging all of the fungal cells.
In contexts other than agriculture, the term antifungal is often used for similar compounds.
Fungicides can also indirectly be harmful to human health as the cultivated crop is consumed and it can cause irritation as well as many symptoms such as headaches, diarrehea, damaged organs as well as severe disorders and maladies related to the nervous system. It is also a hazard to ecosystems as it can run off and can contaminate water bodies and as it bioaccumulates it can be increasingly toxic to living organisms in the ecosystem.
See also
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