Natural Herbicides From Plant Extracts

This is Tim Hammerich of the Ag Information Network with your Farm of the Future Report.

Many herbicides aren’t as effective as they use to be, and others have been regulated away. So how will farmers control weeds in the future? Harpe Bio is one company bringing a new solutions to the market with their portfolio of natural, biological herbicides derived from plant extracts. COO Daniel Pepitone says their herbicides will use multiple modes of action for weed management.

Pepitone... "There's wonderful technologies out there, a range of herbicides that are facing some challenges, especially around weed resistance. And what we're seeing in combination, HAARP plus another synthetic chemistry, we're able to fill those gaps, overcome those weed resistance challenges, and get the outcomes we're looking for. The chemistry is fully non-selective, meaning broadleaf grasses, uh, we're able to formulate these things again for both pre-emergent as well as post-burndown, desiccation products as well. And then, uh, working on the herbicide trade tolerant pieces to really expand into a, you know, a full weed management program using the technology."

Pepitone says what really sets their products apart is that they can be used on organic operations.

Pepitone... " Kind of flip that page a little bit, think about the organic growers. Really don't have tools today in terms of actual herbicides that they can use. A lot of acid or vinegar-based formulations. This is an actual mode of action that can be fully, fully certified organic and used on those farms. Really giving them tools that they simply don't have today fully from the standpoint of a price standpoint, really made for them easy to do."

The herbicides developed by Harpe Bio are about two years from being brought to market.