Bioherbicide innovations may have peaked in 2014, according to some market analysts, but new developments are proving to be more efficacious and more consistent. According to the EPA biopesticide database, there are 18 bioherbicides registered, and nine of those are recommended for organic production as of August 2021.
Recent AgriThority® trials have shown new bioherbicides are fast-acting and offer synergy with conventional chemistries currently dominating the herbicide markets.
“The big hope for bioherbicides from an agricultural industry perspective is for them to have less weed resistance than traditional chemistry,” says Richard Shaw, AgriThority product development manager and industry veteran. “However, bioherbicides are just breaking out because we are learning more about how to make formulations perform more consistently. Advances with plant extracts and fermentation processes have allowed better development and improved production practices for mass production of biologicals.”
“Some of the newest bioherbicides evaluated in our latest greenhouse and field studies demonstrate promising performance,” reports Vlad da Costa, Ph.D., AgriThority product development manager. One example is a non-selective, plant-based bioherbicide that has consistently delivered a fast burndown effect. This same bioherbicide also showed a great synergistic effect when applied together with conventional herbicides such as glyphosate and glufosinate. The combination takes care of challenging weed species that have developed varying degrees of resistance to these conventional herbicides.
“Faster burndown and good combination capability with the widely-used conventional chemistry improves the potential for significant impact and greater market opportunity,” Dr. da Costa says. “Many new biopesticides, especially bioherbicides, offer advantages to both organic and conventional growers. These results are exciting to see. As with most combinations and herbicides in general, we should underscore how important correct mixing, environmental conditions, and plant height are at the time of application.”
Additionally, as consumers continue to push for more alternatives to conventional herbicides, bioherbicides could become one of the potential solutions moving forward.
For more information about AgriThority® bioherbicide research, and how our scientific business, market and product expertise can help move your novel innovation toward commercialization, email us at info@agrithority.com or call +1-816-891-0916.