The term pesticide refers to the substance used for elimination of the pest such as insects (insecticide), weed or herb (weedicide or herbicide), bacteria (bactericide), acarid (acaricide), bird (avicide), rodent (rodenticide), fungus (fungicide), virus (viricide), germs (germicide), microbes (microbicide), and others. It can be stated thart all insecticides are pesticides; however all the pesticides are not essentially insecticides. The insecticides are grouped as per their usage against specific insects like termiticides against termites or according to the stages of their growth like larvicides against larvae or adulticides against adult mosquitoes.
Most of the pesticides are chemicals that possess a toxic effect on their target pest. However, they differ in their mode of action and are designed for targeting the pest on the basis of its biology and behaviour. Some pesticides are stomach poisons that are ingested by the pest while some are contact poisons that kill pests when target comes into contact with the poison and it enters their body via the skin or other body openings. Some pesticides interfere with the process of blood coagulation, while others affect the nervous system. There are some non-toxic pesticides like Insect Growth Regulators or IGRs that do not directly kill the pest but interfere with its growth and thus preventing it from leading a normal existence resulting in death. All pesticides have label instructions with specifications about the recommended dosage.
In India, the usage of insecticides is regulated by the India law comprising of The Insecticides Act, 1968 and Insecticides Rules, 1971. These acts manage and control the import, transport, registration process, manufacture, distribution, sale, and use of insecticides so that it does not poses risk to human beings or animals others, across India. All pesticides are required to undergo the registration process with the Central Insecticides Board (CIB) & Registration Committee (RC) prior to their availability for use or sale. In short, all insecticides (pesticides) in India are listed on the "Schedule" of the Insecticides Act, 1968. The Registration Certificate mandates that there should be proper label on the packaging indicating the nature of the insecticide, active ingredient, target pest(s), composition, recommended dosage, safety precautions and other details.
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