Profile
In 1992-93, the Quebec Ministry of the Environment carried out a pesticide analysis of rivers in areas of intensive corn production in the province. From all the chemical products found in the watercourses of the watershed, herbicides were the most frequent. Atrazine, the main herbicide recommended for corn, exceeded the criteria for aquatic life protection in many locations. The principal negative effect of Atrazine is to reduce green algae growth, to partially inhibit photosynthesis of microscopic vegetation and to damage fish livers and kidneys.Replacing this herbicide is not necessarily a solution as other chemicals were also found in the samples analyzed. Reducing the total quantity of pesticides and implementing integrated pest management practices are considered to be a more sustainable solution over chemical control alone. (La contamination des cours d'eau par les pesticides dans les régions de culture intensive de maïs au Québec, 1995)
Did You Know... | Trends