Herbicides

Photograph from University of Illinois

Stephen J. Toth, Jr. Wayne G. Buhler

Department of Entomology Department of Horticultural Science
North Carolina State University North Carolina State University
 Weeds
• Compete with desirable plants for
water, nutrients, light and space

• Contaminate crop at harvest

• Harbor pest insects, mites, vertebrates

or plant disease agents

• Release toxins in the soil which may

inhibit crop growth Photographs by
David & Dale Monks.
 Stages of Plant Development
• Seedling - small, vulnerable plants

• Vegetative - rapid growth and production of stems, roots and foliage

• Seed production - energy is directed toward the production of seed

• Maturity - little or no energy production

 Lambsquarters
Weeds -
Annual Plants
• Completes all four stages of
growth in one year

– There are many annual weeds,

including pigweed, crabgrass,
lambsquarters, morningglory,
cocklebur and henbit

Tall morningglory

Photographs by Kathy Kalmowitz and David Monks.

 Weeds - Biennial
Plants
• Completes the seedling and
vegetative stages of growth in
first year;
• Seed production and maturity
stages are completed in second
year.

– Common biennial weed is wild carrot

(also known as Queen Anne’s lace)

Queen Anne’s Lace

Photograph courtesy of the University of Illinois.
 Weeds - Perennial Plants
• May or may not complete all
Bermudagrass
four stages of growth in first
year, then repeat vegetative, seed
and maturity stages for several
more years

• Seed production and maturity

stages may be delayed for
several years

– Examples: Johnsongrass, Photograph by David Monks.

Bermudagrass, pokeweed
 Weed Classification - Grasses

Johnsongrass
• Have only one leaf as they
emerge from seed

• Leaves are narrow and

upright with parallel veins

– Examples are Johnson-grass

and crabgrass

Photograph by Dale Monks.

 Weed Classification - Broadleaves
• Have two leaves as they Cocklebur
emerge from seed

• Leaves broad with netted

veins

• Usually have taproot and

coarse root system

– Examples: pigweed,
cocklebur, dandelion and Photograph by David Monks.
poison ivy
 Weed Classification - Sedges
• Similar to grasses, but have Yellow nutsedge
triangular (3-sided) stems

• Often listed on pesticide labels

as grasses, but certain
herbicides will control grasses
and not sedges (i.e., Poast)

– Examples are nutsedges

Photograph by David Monks.
 Factors Affecting Weed Control
• Growing points - contact herbicides do not reach those
sheathed or below soil surface

• Leaf Shape - herbicides run off of narrow upright leaves;

held by broad, flat leaves

• Wax and Cuticle - thick wax/cuticle layer prevents

herbicide entry; waxy surface forms droplets which run off
leaves

• Leaf Hairs - dense layer hold droplets away from leaf;

thin layer holds herbicide longer
 Factors Affecting Weed Control
• Plant Size and Age - young, rapidly-growing plants more
susceptible to herbicides

• Deactivation - certain plants can deactivate herbicides and

are less susceptible; basis for herbicide selectivity, can cause
resistance

• Plant life cycle - seedlings very susceptible to most weed

control methods; vegetative and early bud stages susceptible
to translocated herbicides; timing important
 Weed Control Methods
• Cultivation - traditional weed control Farmer cultivating beans
method; may increase erosion, spread
weeds/diseases

• Planting Timing - planting date delayed

to avoid or remove weeds

• Mulching - keeps light from weed

seedlings

• Mowing - often used in orchards;

prevents erosion
Photograph by Bill Tarpenning, USDA/ARS.
• Others - nurse crops, fire and flooding
(in rice)
 Herbicide Characteristics
• Foliage-absorbed: herbicide kills all foliage contacted

• Root-absorbed: herbicide is applied to the soil

• Contact: herbicide must be applied directly to weeds, little or no movement to

underground or shaded part of weed

• Translocated: herbicide is absorbed and moves throughout the living portion

of the plant (weed)

• Selective: differences between plant and weed (foliar characteristics,

deactivation) makes herbicide selective

• Non-Selective: herbicide kills most plants, must be applied in absence of

desirable plants
 Herbicide Characteristics
• Persistent: herbicide remains for weeks or months

• Nonpersistent: herbicide remains for hours or days

• Pre-Plant incorporated (PPI): herbicide application made prior to

planting and mixed into the soil

• Pre-Emergence: herbicide is applied after planting, but prior to crop

and, generally, weed emergence

• Post-Emergence: herbicide application occurs after crop emergence

(also can refer to after weed emergence)
 Inorganic Herbicides
• Romans used brine and a mixture of salt and ashes to sterilize land
in biblical times (non-selective herbicides)

• Copper Sulfate used in grain fields to kill weeds in 1896

• Sodium Arsenite solutions used as herbicides from 1906 to 1960

• Sodium Chlorate used for non-selective weed control for the last
50 years

• A few inorganic herbicides are still in use, but are being replaced
by organic herbicides because of persistence of inorganic
herbicides
 Organic Herbicides
Arsenicals:
• Inhibit the growth of weeds
• Not as toxic to mammals (humans) as inorganic forms of arsenic
• Not used in agriculture as widely as in the past
• Example is MSMA (monosodium methanearsonate)

Additional Organic Herbicides:

• Numerous classes of herbicides with several modes of actions
 Organic Herbicides Arranged by Mode of Action:
Growth Inhibitors (Soil Applied)
• Acetanilides: inhibit root growth;
alachlor (Lasso), metolachlor (Dual)

• Dinitroanilines: inhibit root and shoot growth;

benefin (Balan), oryzalin (Surflan),
pendimethalin (Prowl) and trifluralin (Treflan)

• Thiocarbamates: inhibit root and shoot growth;

pebulate (Tillam), thiobencarb (Bolero)
 Organic Herbicides Arranged by Mode of Action:
Growth Inhibitors (Soil & Foliar Applied)

• Imidazolinones: inhibits root and shoot growth;

imazapyr (Arsenal) and imazaquin (Scepter)

• Sulfonylureas: inhibits root and shoot growth;

nicosulfuron (Accent) and primisulfuron (Beacon)
 Organic Herbicides Arranged by Mode of Action:
Growth Inhibitors (Foliar Applied)
• Phosphono amino acids: inhibits shoot growth;
glyphosate (Roundup)

• Phenoxy proprionic acids: inhibits shoot growth;

fluazifop-butyl (Fusilade)

• Cyclohexones: inhibits root and shoot growth;

sethoxydim (Poast)
 Organic Herbicides Arranged by Mode of Action:
Photosynthesis Inhibitors (Soil & Foliar Applied)

• Triazines:
atrazine (Aatrex), metribuzin (Sencor) and
simazine (Princep)

• Phenylureas:
linuron (Lorox)

• Uracils:
terbacil (Sinbar)
 Organic Herbicides Arranged by Mode of Action:
Photosynthesis Inhibitors (Foliar Applied)

• Benzothiadiazoles: bentazon (Basagran)

• Phthalic acids: endothall (Aquathol)

 Organic Herbicides Arranged by Mode of Action:
Cell Membrane Disrupters

• Bipyridyliums: Paraquat

• Diphenyl ethers: acifluorfen (Blazer)

 Organic Herbicides Arranged by Mode of Action:
Plant Growth Hormones
• Phenoxy acids: affect cellular division and metabolism;
2,4-D and 2,4,5-T

• Benzoics: resemble growth hormones;

dicamba (Banvel)

• Pyridinoxy acids: hormone herbicides;

picloram (Tordon)
 References

• Ware, G. W. An Introduction to Herbicides. Radcliffe’s IPM World Textbook. (

http://ipmworld.umn.edu/chapters/wareherb.htm)

• Ware, G. W. 1994. The Pesticide Book. 4th edition. Thomson Publications, Fresno,
California. pp. 103-125.

• U. S. EPA. 1993. Agricultural Pest Control - Plant Training Manual. pp. 18-26.