pesticides

Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest. A pesticide may be a chemical, biological agent (such as a virus or bacterium), antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest. Pests include insects, plant pathogens, weeds, molluscs, birds, mammals, fish, nematodes (roundworms), and microbes that destroy property, spread disease or are vectors for disease or cause nuisance.

Pesticides are categorized into four main substituent chemicals: herbicides; fungicides; insecticides and bactericides.