The herbicides market in India generated revenue of 433.2M US Dollars in the year 2022. 

It is expected to reach 835.2M US Dollars by the end of 2030 increasing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate(CAGR) of 8.6% from 2023-2030. 

Source: India herbicides market, 2018-2030 (US$M)

As the demand for sustainable agriculture grows, the need for eco-friendly farming solutions has never been more important. 

In this blog, we will go through the herbicide innovations that support green farming practices. You will recognize how innovative tactics are shaping the agriculture future and promoting a healthy ecosystem for the future. 

Understanding Herbicides

What is herbicide?

Herbicides are chemical ingredients or weeds used to remove unwanted plants. It plays an important role in the agriculture industry by helping farmers to maintain healthy crops and gardens.  

Types of herbicides

You can categorize herbicides according to selectivity and the stage of their application. 

1. Selective herbicides are designed to target particular weeds without harming the crops and plants. They are generally used in crop fields where selective weed control is necessary for maintaining healthy crops.  
2. Non-selective herbicides are designed to remove all plant types that come into contact. It helps to clear the areas such as sidewalks, industrial sites, or driveways where no greenery is needed. 
3. Pre-emergent herbicides are designed to be applied before the weeds come out from the soil. It saves seeds from blooming and helps control yearly weed production.  
4. Post-emergent herbicides are designed to be used after the weeds get visibly developed from the soil. They are used to maintain existing weeds. 

Benefits of herbicides

Herbicides offer several benefits for farmers in the agriculture sphere:

1. Herbicides efficiently deal with the weed population and ensure that crops do not have to strive for basic resources like water, sunlight, and nutrients.  
2. Herbicides enable crops to grow efficiently by eliminating weeds for improved quality production.
3. Herbicides eliminate the need for manual weeding. So, the farmers can save their labor costs and time. 
4. Herbicides help to maintain soil structure and decrease waste, by improving overall soil health. 
5. Weed-free fields deliver healthy crops by reducing blemishes and pests, enhancing profitability. 
6. Herbicides can be used in different areas like gardens, lawns, agricultural fields, roadsides, and industrial sites. 
7. Herbicides help to block the spread of disturbing weed breeds that can be harmful to native plant populations and ecosystems.
8. Herbicides offer a reliable weed control method ensuring effective weed management throughout the growing season.  

Environmental Impact of Traditional Herbicides

Negative Effects on Soil 

The usage of traditional herbicides decreases the soil quality and chemicals disturb the natural balance of soil microorganisms, reduce fertility, and the whole system of how herbicides work. 

Herbicides damage good microbes that affect soil structure and the nutrient cycle. Moreover, the constant use of herbicides can develop herbicide-resistant weeds that complicate soil collapse.

The loss of soil biodiversity delivers poor crop yields and is more vulnerable to soil waste. 

Impact on the water system

Herbicides can destroy water sources through drainage and leakage. During the rainy season, herbicide fields get washed into rivers, groundwater, and lakes. This drainage leads to the impurity of drinking water supplies and underwater ecosystems. 

The herbicides can be harmful to underwater plants and animals and disturb the natural balance of the systems.

Additionally, herbicide scraps get stored in the water and cause long-term risks to humans and the environment.

Harm to wildlife 

Traditional herbicides are harmful to insects, birds, and animals as well. 

Insects, birds, and animals that come across herbicide plants can suffer from poisoning and fertility issues. 

Moreover, the biodiversity reduction caused by herbicides can disturb whole ecosystems and impact negatively on wildlife populations.

Why Eco-Friendly Farming Practices?

Sustainable agriculture principles  

1. Crops rotating in a particular sequence for,
   1. Better soil health 
   2. Less pest and weed pressure
   3. More agricultural biodiversity

2. Farming cover crops between main crops to stop,
   1. Soil wastage 
   2. More soil fertility 
   3. Destroy weeds

3. Eliminating soil interruption to maintain,
   1. Soil structure
   2. Decrease wastage 
   3. Improve water retention  

4. IPM (Integrated Pest Management) manages pests reliably by combining 
   1. Biological
   2. Cultural
   3. Mechanical
   4. Chemical methods 

5. Combination of trees and other greeneries into agricultural fields for better,
   1. Agricultural biodiversity 
   2. Soil health
   3. Carbon isolation 

6. Stop using synthetic chemicals and GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) for natural inputs and methods. 

Eco-friendly farming offers several advantages such as Improved soil health, less pollution, water protection, weather resilience, and biodiversity. 

Innovative Eco-Friendly Herbicides

Bioherbicides 

Bioherbicides originate from natural sources like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and plant extracts that focus on particular weeds without crop damage. 

Some examples of bioherbicides are:

• Phytophthora palmivora: A fungus that controls milkweed vine in citrus orchards.
• Alternaria cassiae: A fungal that is highly effective against sicklepod weed.
• Myrothecium verrucaria: A bioherbicide originated from a ground fungus, used to deal with kudzu and other disturbing weeds.

Mechanical and cultural weed control

These methods enable alternative approaches to deal with weeds without depending on chemical herbicides. They are key components for reliable agriculture. 

Mechanical Weed Control:

• Removing weeds using a hand or some tools
• Removing weeds using mechanical equipment
• Removing weeds using organic mulch to stop them from growing

Cultural Weed Control:

• Crops planting in a particular flow disturb weed life cycles
• Growing cover crops to stop weed growth and improve soil health
• Ensure proper spacing among plants to decrease weed conflicts

IPM (Integrated Pest Management)

IPM is a process that integrates different eco-friendly approaches for effective weed control. 

The key objective of IPM is to decrease the dependency on chemical herbicides and encourage sustainable farming practices. 

Basic components of IPM:

• Biological Control: to deal with weed populations.
• Cultural Practices: like crop rotation, cover cropping, and plant spacing.
• Mechanical approaches: like hand weeding, tillage, mulching, and mowing.
• Chemical Controls: using bioherbicides and other eco-friendly herbicides.

Challenges and Future Aspects

The barrier to adopting eco-friendly herbicide

• Eco-friendly herbicides cost a lot compared to traditional herbicides. It is difficult for farmers to adopt it on a large scale. 
• Some eco-friendly herbicides might not be as effective as the traditional ones. You may also face issues regarding crop yields and quality. 
• Eco-friendly herbicides have limited access and availability. So it is challenging to adopt them, especially in remote or underserved areas.
• Farmers do not have the necessary knowledge and training to use eco-friendly herbicides effectively.  
• Farmers already have their established habits and practices. So they are resistant to adopting changes even if they are highly sustainable. 

Research and development 

• The surge in bioherbicide growth targets particular weeds without harming environmental health. 
• Innovative technologies in the agriculture sphere like drone and satellite-based weed detection ensure the precise application of eco-friendly herbicides.
• IPM strategies become more innovative integrating biological, mechanical, chemical, and cultural methods for efficient weed control. 
• Development of environment-friendly herbicide formulations for better weed maintenance. 
• Programs to train and educate farmers to leverage the benefits of eco-friendly herbicides and improved farming practices. 

Policy and regulation

• The government is providing incentives and subsidies to farmers to motivate them to adopt eco-friendly herbicides.
• Implementation of strict rules for herbicide use so that only environment-friendly products are available in the market
• Funding for research and development of eco-friendly herbicides and technologies.  
• Awareness campaigns for farmers and people to adopt eco-friendly farming practices. 
• Motivates collaboration between research institutes, agricultural organizations, and government agencies to promote eco-friendly farming. 

Conclusion

In this blog, we have learned about the emerging aspects of herbicides and their role in eco-friendly farming. 

We should support eco-friendly farming practices by choosing eco-friendly herbicides. We are responsible for protecting our earth and making sure that future generations stay healthy.  

We should think about how we can integrate more eco-friendly solutions into our agricultural industry to build a sustainable future. 

Source: https://www.meghmaniglobal.com/herbicides-and-eco-friendly-farming-innovations-for-greener-future/