Analyzing 3 of the Most Common Corn Pesticides

Corn is an important crop in the United States. In 2010, farmers across the U.S. harvested more than 81 million acres of corn for 12.4 billion bushels, worth nearly $66 billion, according to the National Corn Growers Association. This corn is used for everything from eating off the cob to animal feed, plastics, fuel, sweeteners and glue. But it is not just the U.S. that benefits from the versatility of corn: This crop has become a major source of food for developing countries. Southeast Asia and Africa grow a substantial amount of corn for human consumption as well as to feed livestock. In order for corn to become such a major food source across the globe, farmers have relied on improved technology to increase yields year after year. A substantial part of these larger harvests have come from new pesticides that help exterminate weeds and insects that have ruined crops in the past. Here are a few of the most popular and important corn pesticides that farmers and chemists may be interested in.