Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Certain broad-spectrum soil sterilants/fumigants undergo rapid chemical degradation in moist soils to release volatile compounds that eradicate all biological organisms.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Dazomet is a dry, granular pre-plant soil fumigant and sterilant.
Upon contact with moist soil, it degrades rapidly to release methyl isothiocyanate (MITC) gas, along with formaldehyde and hydrogen sulfide.
This gas is highly toxic to:
- Soil-dwelling insect pests (insecticide).
- Plant-pathogenic fungi (fungicide).
- Plant-parasitic nematodes (nematicide).
- Germinating weed seeds and grasses (weedicide/herbicide).
Step 3: Final Answer:
The pesticide used across all these categories is Dazomet, which is option (D).