IML Testing and Research Successfully Held a National Webinar Discussing the Issue of Pesticide Resistance Development in Indonesia
Bandung – IML Testing and Research is organizing a National Webinar with the theme “Development of Pesticide Resistance in Indonesia.” This event will be held on Thursday, November 14, 2024, from 09:00 to 12:00. This national webinar received a positive response from 579 registrants, including industry players, farmers, academics, and government regulators from Sabang to Merauke.
This National Webinar successfully featured two prominent speakers in their fields. The Director of Fertilizers and Pesticides at the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Drs. Jekvy Hendra, M.Si., raised the issue of Pesticide Registration Policy. Dr. Drs. Jekvy Hendra, M.Si. explained several regulations or legal foundations related to how the ministry regulates the circulation and safe use of pesticides in Indonesia.
“The excessive use of active ingredients indeed requires caution.” The current situation requires us to be cautious. Because for usage above 276, we have already prohibited it. Especially when it comes to usage that is highly lethal and concentrated. It will definitely cause pollution. If this happens, the monitoring team from PUKPES will go to the field to verify the environment and the community. This needs to be prevented immediately, and we must take preventive measures. Therefore, we hope that all data and information related to usage and so on are provided. Quickly convey it, so that the existing monitoring team can coordinate with local agriculture or pass it down to the BPP through the existing extension workers. Or we will deploy the BPTPH team to evaluate the use of pesticides in the field,” explained Dr. Drs. Jekvy Hendra, M.Si.
The second speaker is a Professor at the School of Life Sciences and Technology at ITB, Prof. Intan Ahmad, Ph.D., who raised the issue of Insect Resistance to insecticides. He explained how resistance occurs in insects. (insecticide).
“(The explanation of double resistance is illustrated with an example) the insects we studied are resistant to insecticide A, as seen from the levels or activity of it's mixed function oxidase cytochrome P-450 extract, but they are also resistant in other ways.” Including the fact that its cuticle is already thick, but at the same time, it can also evade. Well, that makes it even harder to control; the mechanism, for example, could be behavior, but it's also possible that there are other mechanisms. “This insect will continue to adapt to the given selection pressure,” explained Prof. Intan Ahmad, Ph.D.
Through this National Webinar. IML Testing aims to provide insight to all parties that pesticides are a shared responsibility, so we need to pay special attention; pesticides will be beneficial if used wisely.
