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What is a Herbicide?

A herbicide is a substance (preparation) used to control weeds in agriculture.

Herbicides can be divided by the nature of their action into Selective (affecting certain plants, called selectives) and Non-selective/total (affecting all plants).

There are also contact-action herbicides (affecting only the point of contact) and systemic ones (affecting all systems of the plant, penetrating throughout it).

Total-action herbicides are used at restricted-access sites, such as airfields, etc.

There is a documented historical case of systematic herbicide use in world practice — the US use of herbicides during the Vietnam War.

Some herbicides are assessed as possible carcinogens.

Almost all herbicides are harmful to living organisms.

Due to the environmental concerns of their use, organic herbicides are being developed with added “activators,” for example ammonium sulfate.

Examples of Herbicides:

Sulfuric acid — a 3-5 percent solution is used.

Iron sulfate (ferrous sulfate) — aqueous solutions of various concentrations are used.

Sulfamic acid — aqueous solutions.

Carbamide — effective, and at the same time it is a fertilizer.

Thiourea — is also a fungicide.

Sodium thiocyanate — used in lupine production as a defoliant (causes leaf drop) and a desiccant (accelerates ripening) for lupine seed crops. Treatment for leaf drop is carried out when the seed radicle begins to turn yellow, or, for accelerating ripening, when the pods begin to turn brown. Approximate consumption for each method ranges from 8 to 16 kilograms per hectare (calculated as pure product).

Separately, the term “herbigation” has emerged — the application of herbicides together with irrigation watering, for example of rice and other crops.

Herbicides that target woody plants (shrubs and trees) are called Arboricides.
And those targeting aquatic plants are called Algicides.

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