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A herbicide is used to kill unwanted plants. Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Selective herbicides kill specific targets while leaving the desired crop relatively unharmed. Some of these act by interfering with the growth of the weed and are often based on plant hormones. WEED (1390 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Spanish format Hormones (from Greek ὁρμή - "impetus" are chemicals released by cells that affect cells in other parts of the body Herbicides used to clear waste ground are nonselective and kill all plant material with which they come into contact. Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Some plants produce natural herbicides, such as the genus Juglans (walnuts). Walnuts (genus Juglans) are Plants in the family Juglandaceae. They are applied in total vegetation control (TVC) programs for maintenance of highways and railroads. Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region it refers to the Ground cover provided by plants Smaller quantities are used in forestry, pasture systems, and management of areas set aside as wildlife habitat. A habitat (which is Latin for "it inhabits" is an Ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular Species.

Herbicides are widely used in agriculture and in landscape turf management. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture In the U. S. , they account for about 70% of all agricultural pesticide use. [1]

Contents

History

Prior to the widespread use of chemical herbicides, cultural controls, such as altering soil pH, salinity, or fertility levels, were used to control weeds. In Agriculture cultural control is the practice of modifying the growing environment to reduce the prevalence of unwanted pests Examples include changing soil Mechanical control (including tillage) was also (and still is) used to control weeds.

The first widely used herbicide was 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, often abbreviated 2,4-D. 24-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (24-D is a common systemic Herbicide used in the control of broadleaf weeds It was first commercialized by the Sherwin-Williams Paint company and saw use in the late 1940s. It is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, and kills many broadleaf plants while leaving grasses largely unaffected (although high doses of 2,4-D at crucial growth periods can harm grass crops such as maize or cereals). The low cost of 2,4-D has led to continued usage today and it remains one of the most commonly used herbicides in the world. Like other acid herbicides, current formulations utilize either an amine salt (usually trimethylamine) or one of many esters of the parent compound. Trimethylamine is an Organic compound with the formula N(CH33 Esters are a class of Chemical compounds and Functional groups Esters consist of an inorganic or organic Acid in which at least These are easier to handle than the acid.

2,4-D exhibits relatively good selectivity, meaning, in this case, that it controls a wide number of broadleaf weeds while causing little to no injury to grass crops at normal use rates. A herbicide is termed selective if it affects only certain types of plants, and nonselective if it inhibits a very broad range of plant types. Other herbicides have been more recently developed that achieve higher levels of selectivity than 2,4-D.

The 1950s saw the introduction of the triazine family of herbicides, which includes atrazine, which have current distinction of being the herbicide family of greatest concern regarding groundwater contamination. Atrazine, 2-chloro-4-(ethylamine-6-(isopropylamine-s-triazine an Organic compound consisting of an s- Triazine -ring is a widely used Herbicide. Atrazine does not break down readily (within a few weeks) after being applied to soils of above neutral pH. Under alkaline soil conditions atrazine may be carried into the soil profile as far as the water table by soil water following rainfall causing the aforementioned contamination. Atrazine is said to have carryover, a generally undesirable property for herbicides.

Glyphosate, frequently sold under the brand name Roundup, was introduced in 1974 for non-selective weed control. Glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl glycine is a non-selective Systemic Herbicide, absorbed through the leaves injected into the bole or applied to the stump of Roundup is the brand name of a systemic broad-spectrum Herbicide produced by the U It is now a major herbicide in selective weed control in growing crop plants due to the development of crop plants that are resistant to it. The pairing of the herbicide with the resistant seed contributed to the consolidation of the seed and chemistry industry in the late 1990s.

Many modern chemical herbicides for agriculture are specifically formulated to decompose within a short period after application. This is desirable as it allows crops which may be affected by the herbicide to be grown on the land in future seasons. However, herbicides with low residual activity (i. e. , that decompose quickly) often do not provide season-long weed control.

Health effects

Certain herbicides affect metabolic pathways and systems unique to plants and not found in animals making many modern herbicides among the safest crop protection products having essentially no effect on mammals, birds, amphibians or reptiles. Some herbicides can cause a variety of health effects ranging from skin rashes to death. The pathway of attack can arise from intentional or unintentional direct consumption of the herbicide , improper application resulting in the herbicide coming into direct contact with people or wildlife, inhalation of aerial sprays, or food consumption prior to the labeled pre-harvest interval. Under extreme conditions herbicides can also be transported via surface runoff to contaminate distant water sources. Surface runoff is a term used to describe when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess Water, from Rain, Snowmelt, or other sources flows Most herbicides decompose rapidly in soils via soil microbial decomposition, hydrolysis or photolysis and some herbicides are more persistent with longer soil half-lives. Half-Life (computer-game page here It's already listed in the disambiguation page Other alleged health effects can include chest pain, headaches, nausea and fatigue. All organic and non-organic herbicides must be extensively tested prior to approval for commercial sale and labeling by the Environmental Protection Agency. However, because of the large number of herbicides in use, there is significant concern regarding health effects. Some of the herbicides in use are known to be mutagenic, carcinogenic or teratogenic. In Biology, a mutagen ( Latin, literally origin of change) is a physical or chemical agent that changes the genetic information (usually DNA) The term carcinogen refers to any substance Radionuclide or radiation that is an agent directly involved in the promotion of Cancer or in the fatation of its propagation Teratology stems from the Greek ( Genitive) meaning monster, or marvel and, meaning word, speech.

However, some herbicides may also have a therapeutic use. Current research aims to use herbicides as an anti-malaria drug that targets the plant-like apicoplast plastid in the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Malaria is a vector -borne Infectious disease caused by Protozoan Parasites It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions including Plastids are major Organelles found in plants and algae Plastids often contain pigments used in photosynthesis and the types of pigments present can change Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between Organisms of different Species. Plasmodium falciparum is a Protozoan Parasite, one of the species of Plasmodium that cause Malaria in humans

Classification of herbicides

Herbicides can be grouped by activity, use, chemical family, mode of action, or type of vegetation controlled.

By activity:

By use:

Their classification by mechanism of action (MOA) indicates the first enzyme, protein, or biochemical step affected in the plant following application. In Pharmacology, the term mechanism of action (MOA refers to the specific biochemical interaction through which a drug substance produces its pharmacological effect The main mechanisms of action are:

Organic Herbicides

Almost all herbicides in use today are considered "organic" herbicides in that they contain carbon as a primary molecular component. A notable exception would be the arsenical class of herbicides. Sometimes they are referred to as synthetic organic herbicides. Recently the term "organic" has come to imply products used in organic farming. Organic farming is a form of agriculture that relies on Crop rotation, Green manure, Compost, Biological pest control, and mechanical Cultivation Under this definition an organic herbicide is one that can be used in a farming enterprise that has been classified as organic. Organic herbicides are expensive and may not be affordable for commercial production. They are much less effective than synthetic herbicides and are generally used along with cultural and mechanical weed control practices.

Organic herbicides include:

Application

Most herbicides are applied as water-based sprays using ground equipment. Ground equipment varies in design, but large areas can be sprayed using self-propelled sprayers equipped with a long boom, of 60 to 80 feet (20 to 25 m) with flat fan nozzles spaced about every 20 in (500 mm). Towed, handheld, and even horse-drawn sprayers are also used.

Synthetic organic herbicides can generally be applied aerially using helicopters or airplanes, and can be applied through irrigation systems (chemigation).

Terminology

Major herbicides in use today

Herbicides of historical interest

See also

References

  1. ^ Kellogg RL, Nehring R, Grube A, Goss DW, and Plotkin S (February 2000), Environmental indicators of pesticide leaching and runoff from farm fields. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture A bioherbicide (or biopesticide is a Herbicide that is based on a living organism such as Fungi, bacteria or Protozoa, which eats or renders The term carcinogen refers to any substance Radionuclide or radiation that is an agent directly involved in the promotion of Cancer or in the fatation of its propagation Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture The Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (or FIFRA) Et seq. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the There are numerous health hazards that can affect people in their natural environment In Biology, a mutagen ( Latin, literally origin of change) is a physical or chemical agent that changes the genetic information (usually DNA) Organic farming is a form of agriculture that relies on Crop rotation, Green manure, Compost, Biological pest control, and mechanical Cultivation Organic horticulture is the science and art of growing fruits vegetables flowers or ornamental plants by following the essential principles of organic agriculture in soil For related pages see Aerial application, Sprayer, Spraying and Spray nozzle. Pesticides vary in their effect on Bees. Contact Insecticides those which kill by touching the organism affect the Worker bee that The Rainbow Herbicides are a group of chemicals used by the United States military in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Soil contamination is caused by the presence of man-made chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment Surface runoff is a term used to describe when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess Water, from Rain, Snowmelt, or other sources flows Teratology stems from the Greek ( Genitive) meaning monster, or marvel and, meaning word, speech. WEED (1390 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Spanish format Weed control is the botanical component of Pest control, stopping weeds from reaching a mature stage of growth when they could be harmful to Domesticated Plants United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. Retrieved on 2007-10-03. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 42 BC - First Battle of Philippi: Triumvirs Mark Antony and Octavian fight an indecisive battle with Caesar's
  2. ^ Stryer, Lubert (1995). Biochemistry, 4th Edition. W. H. Freeman and Company, pp. 670. ISBN 0-7167-2009-4.  
  3. ^ Spray Weeds With Vinegar?
  4. ^ Weed Management in Landscapes
  5. ^ Organic Weed Management in Vineyards
  6. ^ Kolberg, Robert L. , and Lori J. Wiles. 2002. Effect of steam application on cropland weeds. Weed Technology. Vol. 16, No. 1. p. 43–49
  7. ^ Flame weeding for vegetable crops
  8. ^ Fact sheet

External links

General Information

Manufacturers and distributors

Regulatory policy

Usage statistics

Natural herbicides

2,4,5-T

Dictionary

herbicide

-noun

  1. A substance used to kill plants.
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