Botanical extract-based herbicides for grass weed control in agricultural crops

Overview

This research program offers a sustainable alternative to synthetic herbicides by leveraging aqueous botanical extracts as biobased weed control agents. The team has evaluated extracts from five plant species — Senecio brasiliensis, Lupinus albescens, Eucalyptus sp., Coleus barbatus, and Solanum viarum — for their herbicidal activity against grass weeds in agricultural settings. The work addresses a critical pain point for growers: the rising resistance of grasses such as Eragrostis plana (annoni grass) to conventional herbicides, combined with increasing regulatory and market pressure to reduce synthetic agrochemical use.

The value proposition for industry partners is a pipeline of natural-origin herbicidal candidates with demonstrated efficacy in controlled environments, positioning the technology for integration into integrated weed management programs and bioinput product lines.

Technical specifications

Extraction methods used:

• Ultrasound-assisted extraction
• Pressurized liquid extraction
• Microwave hydrodiffusion and gravity extraction

Validated performance highlights:

• Eragrostis plana (annoni grass) controlled by 70% or more at early growth stages using botanical extracts
• Aqueous extract of Eucalyptus camaldulensis at 1 g/L applied at 600 L/ha reduced germination, shoot length, and root length by 63%, 52%, and 46%, respectively
• Statistical analyses show control levels equivalent to or exceeding commercial herbicide benchmarks
• Tests conducted in triplicate with randomized design, 25 or more replicates per treatment, and positive and negative controls

Future development plans:

• Expanded testing across additional grass weeds in rice, corn, soybean, and other crops at larger field scales
• Identification and isolation of the specific bioactive compounds responsible for herbicidal activity
• Development of powdered agricultural bioinput formulations with improved stability, shelf life, and reduced transportation volume and mass
• Estimated timeline for completion: 1–2 years

Technology readiness level

The technology is currently at an early-to-mid stage of development. Laboratory and greenhouse validation has demonstrated proof of concept and reproducible herbicidal efficacy for several botanical extracts, with performance comparable to commercial products. The next critical milestones are larger-scale field trials across multiple crops, isolation of active compounds, and formulation work to convert liquid extracts into stable, commercially viable powdered bioinputs. The research team is actively seeking a partnership that can provide support for field testing, which would advance the technology toward commercial readiness.