herbicide

Also known as herbicides, non-selective herbicides

thumb|A field after application of a herbicide thumb|Weeds controlled with herbicide

AI overview

A herbicide is a chemical substance used to kill unwanted plants, commonly called weeds, that grow in fields and other areas. It matters because it helps farmers and land managers control weeds that would otherwise compete with crops for water, nutrients, and sunlight.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Research

52,541 papers

Carboxylic Acid Derivatives in Herbicide Development.ReviewJournal of agricultural and food chemistry · 2023Cai H, Gan X, Jin Z et al.DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c00951
The herbicide glyphosate.ReviewBioFactors (Oxford, England) · 1989Malik J, Barry G, Kishore G
The search for new herbicide mechanisms of action: Is there a 'holy grail'?ReviewPest management science · 2022Duke SO, Dayan FEDOI: 10.1002/ps.6726
Research Progress in the Design and Synthesis of Herbicide Safeners: A Review.ReviewJournal of agricultural and food chemistry · 2022Jia L, Jin XY, Zhao LX et al.DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c01565
Global perspective of herbicide-resistant weeds.ReviewPest management science · 2014Heap IDOI: 10.1002/ps.3696
The natural herbicide rhein targets photosystem I.Scientific reports · 2024Twitty A, Barnes H, Levy N et al.DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-83891-6
Dienediamine: A safe surrogate for the herbicide paraquat.Molecular plant · 2023Peng H, Zhao D, Tang W et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2023.10.018
Glyphosate-based herbicide as a potential risk factor for breast cancer.Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association · 2025Neves Rebello Alves L, Merigueti LP, Casotti MC et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2025.115404

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Wikidata facts

Show 1 more fact

Commons category: Herbicides

Sources (4)

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~39 min read

Article

32 sections

Contents

History
First herbicides
Further discoveries
Terminology
Selectivity
Non-selective herbicides
Timing of application
Method of application
Persistence
Mechanism of action
WSSA and HRAC classification
Use and application
Misuse and misapplication
Use politically, militarily, and in conflict
Health and environmental effects
Human health
Ecological effects
Aquatic life
Bird populations
Resistance
Evolutionary insights
Biochemistry of resistance
Resistance management
Approaches to treating resistant weeds
Alternative herbicides
Mixtures and sequences
Natural herbicide
Farming practices and resistance: a case study
See also
References
Further reading
External links

thumb|A field after application of a herbicide thumb|Weeds controlled with herbicide

Herbicides (, ), also commonly known as weed killers, are substances used to control undesired plants, also known as weeds. Selective herbicides control specific weed species while leaving the desired crop relatively unharmed, while non-selective herbicides (sometimes called "total weed killers") kill plants indiscriminately. The combined effects of herbicides, nitrogen fertilizer, and improved cultivars has increased yields (per acre) of major crops by three to six times from 1900 to 2000.