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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Crop Production Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #334386
Research Project: Biology and Management of Herbicide-Resistant Weeds

Location: Crop Production Systems Research

Title: Controlling herbicide-susceptible, -tolerant and -resistant weeds with microbial bioherbicides

Author
item Hoagland, Robert
item Boyette, Clyde

Submitted to: Outlooks on Pest Management
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/21/2016
Publication Date: 12/1/2016
Citation: Hoagland, R.E., Boyette, C.D. 2016. Controlling herbicide-susceptible, -tolerant and -resistant weeds with microbial bioherbicides. Outlooks on Pest Management. 27:256-266.

Interpretive Summary: Public concerns of health, safety, and sustainability have increased interest in reducing the use of synthetic chemicals for weed control. A major downside of herbicide use is the development of resistant weeds, which has increased tremendously. Alternatives to chemical herbicides, such as bioherbicides, may offer alternatives to herbicides in some situations. Compared to herbicides, bioherbicides are more benign to the environment, causing less contamination to water, soil and food products. Plant pathogens (and in some cases microbial phytotoxins) may be used directly on target weeds and could provide unique chemical templates for the synthesis of new herbicide classes, with novel molecular modes of action that will help combat existing and developing weed control problems.

Technical Abstract: The management of weeds is a necessary but expensive challenge. Public concerns of health, safety, and sustainability have increased interest in reducing the use of synthetic chemicals for weed control. Alternatives to chemical herbicides, such as bioherbicides, may offer an alternative to herbicides in some situations. Compared to herbicides, bioherbicides are more benign to the environment, causing less contamination to water, soil and food products. A major downside of herbicide use is the development of resistant weeds, which has increased tremendously. Plant pathogens (and in some cases microbial phytotoxins) may be used directly on target weeds and could provide unique chemical templates for the synthesis of new herbicide classes, with novel molecular modes of action that will help combat existing and developing weed control problems.