Synthetic Chemicals - Ask Extension
I was curious to receive another opinion as to whether long term use and overuse of synthetic chemicals for weed control and fertilization can have lo...
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Synthetic Chemicals #868791
Asked May 16, 2024, 6:48 PM EDT
I was curious to receive another opinion as to whether long term use and overuse of synthetic chemicals for weed control and fertilization can have long term effects on the health and immunity of herbaceous and woody plant material; as well as the effect on soil health. Thank you!
Geauga County Ohio
Expert Response
Hello Margaux,
You ask an interesting question and the best way I know to answer it would be to pose a question to you. How many weeds have we entirely eliminated off the face of the earth by using these chemicals (herbicides)? The real answer is... not a single weed!! Therefore, the impact of these chemicals to the environment and plants is always limited because soil microbes, fungi and other soil-borne decomposers have evolved to actually breakdown these chemicals and utilize them as a food source! Many weeds have evolved and have actually become genetically resistant to certain chemicals and pass those "resistant genes" on to their weedy offspring, making their management problematic in specific situations. In my mind, and in my experience, there is no real long term or perpetual effects from using chemicals correctly because we ALWAYS have to reapply them to manage weeds. That means the chemicals have broken down because the weeds have returned! I truly think that weeds and plants will be here thriving, long after we are gone!
Hope that helps!
You ask an interesting question and the best way I know to answer it would be to pose a question to you. How many weeds have we entirely eliminated off the face of the earth by using these chemicals (herbicides)? The real answer is... not a single weed!! Therefore, the impact of these chemicals to the environment and plants is always limited because soil microbes, fungi and other soil-borne decomposers have evolved to actually breakdown these chemicals and utilize them as a food source! Many weeds have evolved and have actually become genetically resistant to certain chemicals and pass those "resistant genes" on to their weedy offspring, making their management problematic in specific situations. In my mind, and in my experience, there is no real long term or perpetual effects from using chemicals correctly because we ALWAYS have to reapply them to manage weeds. That means the chemicals have broken down because the weeds have returned! I truly think that weeds and plants will be here thriving, long after we are gone!
Hope that helps!
