TY - JOUR PY - 2007// TI - Bioherbicides: Research and Risks JO - Toxin reviews A1 - Abbas, Hamed K. A1 - Weaver, Mark A. A1 - Boyette, C. Douglas A1 - Hoagland, Robert E. SP - 313 EP - 342 VL - 26 IS - 4 N2 - Many microbes have bioherbicidal activity, and several phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria have been patented as weed-control agents. The phytotoxic components of most agents have not been elucidated, but some phytotoxins and other secondary compounds produced by such microbes may be toxic to mammalian systems. Furthermore, few rigorous assessments have addressed uptake, translocation, metabolism, and persistence of these phytotoxins (some of which have not been identified), or the environmental effects of repeated augmentative applications of these microorganisms on long-term impact, environmental fate, or interactions with other microbial communities. Generally, there is a lack of definitive research on the overall toxicological risk of bioherbicidal microorganisms to the degree achieved or required for synthetic herbicides. This article presents a brief overview of bioherbicides (microorganisms and/or their phytotoxins), with emphasis on the toxicity of certain bioherbicides, and general considerations of risks associated with bioherbicidal use.

LA - SN - 1556-9543 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15569540701603991 ID - ref1 ER -