The chemicals in herbicides can prevent or inhibit the growth of weeds. Herbicides can be incredibly effective even in small doses of concentration. There are many different types of herbicides and each of them work differently but overall, their method of action can be classified into two: systemic or translocated herbicides and non-systemic or contact herbicides.
Systemic or translocated herbicides are those which are absorbed by the plant from the absorption site and moves within the plant’s vascular system to sites of action where the chemicals then work to control the growth of the plant. Non-systemic herbicides, or contact herbicides, kill the parts of the plant that it comes in contact with. While these are more fast-acting than contact herbicides, they require repeated application, especially to control undergrowth growth and are not as effective for perennial weeds.
Different Types of Herbicides
Herbicides can be classified in various ways. This can include classification based on the chemicals in herbicides, method of application, site of action, or timing of application. Some of these classifications of types of herbicides are listed below:
Types of Herbicides Based on Specificity
Selective Herbicides
– Selective herbicides can prevent the growth of some specific species of plants without having an impact on crops. These are the types of herbicides that are most commonly used in agriculture as they can be used without affecting crops.
Non-Selective Herbicides
– These herbicides are broad-spectrum and will affect any plant it is applied to. Non-selective herbicides are mostly used in pre and post-sowing burn down, chemical follows, plantations and also for industrial applications that require clearing a wide area of land of all plants
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