DEPARTMENT OF AGRONOMY
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
JUNAGADH AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
JUNAGADH
POST GRADUATE SEMINAR
Speaker : Deore Pravin S. Course No. : Agron 699
Degree : M .Sc. (Agri.) Date : 24-11-2006
Reg. No : J4 –00075-2005. Day : Friday
Major Advisor : Dr. V.D. Khanpara Time : 15.30 to 16.30
Minor Advisor : Dr. B.A. Golakiya Venue : Seminar Hall
ROLE OF BIOHERBICIDE: A NEW ERA FOR WEED CONTROL
Introduction:
Biological control of weeds by using plant pathogens is accepted as a practically safe,
environmentally beneficial weed management method applicable to agroecosystems
(Charudattan, 2001).
Bioherbicides are pathogens cultured artificially and made available in sprayable
formulations; just like a chemical herbicide. The pathogen selected for the purpose is usually from
the native place of the weed, but it could also be from other places. The bioherbicides are also
some times called mycoherbicides. The Active ingredient in a bioherbcides is a living
microorganism and it is applied in inundative doses of propagules. Microorganisms such as fungi,
bacteria, viruses are used but most commonly used microorganism is a fungus.
Approaches for microbial weed control:
1. Classical approach:
The classical or inoculative approach involves the importation and release of one or more
natural enemies that attack the target weed in its native range, into areas where its natural enemies
are absent.
2. Bioherbicidal approach:
The bioherbicide approach in which a natural enemy is used within its native range to
control a native or naturalized weed. Applies large quantities of a pathogen to a defined area in
order to kill or suppress growth of the target weeds for the duration of the growing season is
known as the bioherbicide approach.
1. Augmentative approach:
This approach falls into the category of periodic release and can be regarded as midway
between the classical and the inundative approach. The pathogen may be native or naturalized in
their respective region causing endemic disease.
Steps in bioherbicide development:
1) Discovery
2) Development
3) Deployment
Bioherbicide Production methods:
The use of living host plants.
Solid substrate fermentation.
Liquid culture fermentation
The first two methods are too costly for commercial use. At present liquid culture
fermentation is the most economical method for producing microbial biocontrol agents.
Microbial agents for weed control:
1. Fungi:
A pathotype of Phytophthora palmivora has been formulated as a liquid suspension of
clamydospores for control of stranglervine in Florida citrus under the trade name ‘Devine’.
Control levels are superior to other means of control, up to 90% or greater. (Gupta,
2001/[Link])
1
Smith et al. (1986) obtained the effective control of Northern jointvetch weed in rice and
soybean fields with Collettotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene (Collego) without any
effect on rice and soybean.
‘BIOMAL’ is the trade name given to a formulation containing the fungal pathogen C.
gloeosporiodes f. sp. malvae for control of round-leaved mallow in lentil and flax crops in
Canada. (Smith, 2004)
Alternaria destruens, a fungal pathogen of dodders (Cuscuta spp.) developed as a
bioherbicide causes a blight disease on several dodder species and the disease reduces the
parasite’s spread and host damage ([Link]).
2. Bacteria:
Johnson et al. (1996) reported that percentage of annual blue grass (Poa annua L.)
controlled by Xanthomonas campestris pv. Poannua or fenarimol in recreational turf at 10 sites.
They also observed that 100% disease incidence and greater severity of apical chlorosis in host
seedlings 14 days after spray inoculation with pseudomonas syringe pv. tagetis in apex
suspension with surfactant.
3. Virus:
Charudattan (2002) obtained the effective control of tropical soda apple in pastures with
tobacco mild green mosaic virus.
Chemical Bioherbicidal Study:
1) Synergism:
2) Antagonism:
3) Additive effect:
Conclusion:
Biological weed control with microbial agents, often referred to as bioherbicides, has
recently received a renewed interest because it provides an additional weed management strategy
for eradication, suppression and environmentally compatible method of weed control without
residue and pollution problems. Bioherbicides such as Collego, Devine, and Biomal offers similar
advantages as that of chemical herbicides have over mechanical control methods, including
selectivity and reduced the erosion risk.
References:
Charudattan, R. (2001). Biocontrol. 46:229-260.
Charudattan, R. (2002). Fla. Weed Sci. Soc., 25.
Gupta, O.P. (2001). Modern weed management., pp.109-119.
Hoagland (1996). Weed Technology. 10:651-674.
Johnson, D.R.; Wyse, D.L. and Jones, K. J. (1996). Weed Technol., 10:621-624.
Smith, R. J. (1986). Weed Sci., 34:17-23.
Smith, A.E. (2004). Handbook of weed management systems., pp.311-319.