Discuss the pros and cons of herbicides

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Some advantages of herbicides compared with alternative approaches: Reduced production costs per acre versus mechanical weed control or hand weeding. Herbicides provide greater flexibility in timing of weed control than mechanical approaches and can remove weeds from within rows. Herbicides have been developed that will selectively remove weeds from turf and forages without damaging the crop. Herbicides can reduce or eliminate the need for mechanical tillage. For example, in no-till planting systems, herbicides are used to control weeds, and the crop is planted directly into the residue of the previous crop. Specific herbicides can be used to kill tenacious perennials like nutsedge, Canada thistle, quackgrass, and poison ivy that are challenging to kill using tillage or mowing. Some herbicides can persist in the soil to provide long-term control of weeds.

Some challenges associated with herbicide use: Herbicides can potentially kill or injure non-target plants. Non-target plants are those other than weeds. Some herbicides can contaminate water supplies used by humans and farm animals. Herbicides can persist in the soil and injure succeeding crops. Herbicide use can lead to development of resistant weed species that are difficult to control. Like all technology, herbicides may fail due to human error and unpredictable environmental conditions.