Herbicides

1. Herbicides: Brief history, agricultural use, and potential alternatives for weed control

2. A minimum data set for tracking changes in pesticide use

3. Herbicide mode of action

4. Co-formulants in commercial herbicides

5. Analytical strategies to measure herbicide active ingredients and their metabolites

6. Human health effects of herbicides used in intensive GM crop farming

7. Direct herbicide effects on terrestrial non-target organisms belowground and aboveground

8. Indirect herbicide effects on biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and interactions with global changes

9. Analytical strategies to measure health effects of herbicides: predictive toxicology

10. Glyphosate as an active substance authorised under the EU pesticides regulations: Regulatory principles and procedures

11. Chapter 11 Herbicides: a necessary evil? An integrative overview

Herbicides: Chemistry, Efficacy, Toxicology, and Environmental Impacts addresses contemporary debates on herbicide toxicology. The reader is offered a comprehensive overview of this complex topic, presented by internationally recognized experts. Information presented will inform discussions on the use of herbicides in modern agricultural and other systems, and their potential non-target effects on human populations and various ecosystems. The book covers these matters in concise language appropriate to engage both specialists in the research community and informed persons responsible for legislative, funding, and public health matters in the community at large.

The use of herbicides is an essential pillar of modern agricultural production systems. Weeds, if uncontrolled, would reduce crop yield and result in massive economic damage. Recently, the heavy reliance on single herbicides has been linked to the development of weed resistance. To combat resistant weeds, farmers are advised to use a mix of several herbicides and to increase herbicide application rates. As a result, the toxicity of herbicides on human health and the environment has become a controversial topic.

• Offers a comprehensive overview of herbicide science in modern agricultural systems
• Addresses the complex problems that can arise from herbicide use and misuse, including weed resistance, pollution, and human health issues
• Uses recent examples to demonstrate the topical nature of this issue

Researchers in academia, industry, and government including analytical chemists, toxicologists, soil scientists, biologists, ecologists, ecotoxicologists, entomologists, agricultural advisors, herbicide regulators, policy personnel, public health officials, and herbicide researchers. Advanced undergraduate and graduate level students in agriculture, public health, medicine, toxicology, ecotoxicology, sustainability research, and plant chemistry