2021/02/24 by Mahé, Inès, Angevin, Frédérique, Chauvel, Bruno
#Alternatives #Atrazine #Flore adventice #Glyphosate #Stratégie de désherbage #Weed flora #Weeding strategy
paper · doi:10.15454/v0rx-069a
Withdrawal of herbicides active ingredients already started in 2003 in European Union, will probably lead to increasingly strong agronomical effects. The ban of ‘keystone’ active ingredients requires in-depth adaptations especially linked with the cropping system. For five years, glyphosate made big headlines in France and in Europe. Widely used for its weeding action during the intercropping period, alternatives to glyphosate will certainly rely on a combination of different additive cultural practices. However, it is not the first withdrawal of a major active ingredient. In 2003, the ban of atrazine, which was the main chemical ingredient for maize weeding, had already been a major issue of concern for the agricultural sector. Alternatives, mainly chemical, enabled farmers to deal rapidly with the atrazine ban. However, glyphosate ban appears to be more challenging and a deeper reconsideration of cropping systems will be certainly needed. Moreover, other chemical ingredients are soon to be withdrawn and new other ‘crises’ may arise in a next future, with more and more complex alternative solutions.