About Pesticides

Pesticide Names

• Table of active ingredients  (Alphabetical list of active ingredients with their associated trade names, pesticide type, family, and certification requirements)

Pesticides are named three ways: by active ingredient, by trade name, and by chemical name.

• The active ingredient is the chemical that controls the pest. The name of the active ingredient is also known as the common name and is written beside the guarantee on a pesticide label. The first letter of an active ingredient name is normally lower case.
• The trade name is the brand name that the manufacturer gives to the pesticide. The trade name is the prominent name on the front of a pesticide label. The first letter of a trade name is normally upper case. Pesticides with different trade names can contain the same active ingredient, and some pesticides have more than one active ingredient.
• The chemical name is the name of the chemical structure of the active ingredient and is used by scientists.

For Example:
         glyphosate = active ingredient (common name) in Roundup
         Roundup = trade name of a herbicide
         N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine = chemical name of the active ingredient in Roundup

The pesticides in the table below include those in the BC Crop Production Guides. The list does not include all registered pesticides or US products. The pesticides are listed alphabetically by active ingredient. If you do not know the active ingredient, check the pesticide label beside the guarantee or search the table for the trade name.

The "chemical group” column indicates the chemical group or family the active ingredient is in.

The "certification" column indicates whether a farmer needs a pesticide applicator certificate to buy or use the pesticide. WCB in this column means Workers Compensation Board requires an applicator certificate to use the pesticide. WLAP in the column means the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection requires an applicator certificate to purchase or use the pesticide. Label in the column means the label says the pesticide can only be used by a certified applicator.

Disclaimer: Please read the pesticide label prior to use. The information contained at this web site is not a substitute for a pesticide label. Trade names used on this site are for convenience only. No endorsement of products is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products implied.

Having trouble finding a trade name or active ingredient? Click here for help.

Table of active ingredients

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