herbicidal

Herbicidal is an adjective relating to herbicides, substances or practices designed to kill or suppress plants classified as weeds. In agriculture, horticulture, and landscape management, a herbicidal product delivers a chemical or biological agent intended to reduce weed competition with crops or desirable vegetation. Herbicides can be selective, targeting specific weed species while sparing crops, or non-selective, affecting a broad range of plants. They act through various modes of action, such as inhibiting amino acid synthesis, disrupting photosynthesis, or interfering with plant growth processes. Some formulations are systemic, moving within the plant, while others are contact products that kill only where they touch.

Applications include foliar sprays, soil incorporation, or basal injections, with formulations ranging from ready-to-use liquids to concentrated emulsions, granules, and suspensions. Use is guided by label instructions and regulatory oversight in most jurisdictions, with attention to environmental fate, non-target effects, and safety considerations for handlers and bystanders.

The development and deployment of herbicides raise concerns about ecological impact and the evolution of weed resistance, which has led to integrated weed management approaches that combine chemical, cultural, physical, and biological methods to minimize reliance on herbicides. The term herbicidal thus encompasses not only the chemical agents themselves but also practices intended to achieve weed suppression in a sustainable manner.