Author
Debbie Muir
Department of Forestry Fisheries and the Environment, Branch: Environmental Programmes, Chief Directorate: Sector Coordination & Quality Management, Cape Town, South Africa
Abstract
Intensive use of chemical herbicides (CHs) increases productivity BUT with striking environmental and ecological impacts AND human health repercussions. CHs have many problems ranging from being residual in water & soil to creating resistant genotypes, resulting in the emergence of resistant individuals in the weed populations which is an increasingly important issue globally. Bioherbicides (BHs) constitute <10% of the biopesticides market, which holds only 3% of the global pesticides market. BHs are practical, effective, consistent & economically feasible weed control alternatives for agroecosystems, agroforestry and/or invasive weed management. BHs should be adaptable to current IPM technology by the users. The benefits of BHs are 1. short-lived environmental fate, 2. multiple modes of action reducing risks of herbicide resistance and 3. low toxicity. BHs still evaluated under same system as for CHs, but this is unnecessary as it causes unnecessarily high & inappropriate regulatory burdens for all authorities, especially in Low to Middle Income Countries. Data for chemical identity is not required, nor higher tier testing but appropriate studies on taxonomy are critical. International, regional & national regulatory bodies have started developing separate registration guidance documents for CHs & BHs, as this will enhance regional and international trade of BHs.
keywords
bioherbicide
resistant individuals
taxonomy
environmental fate
trade