Progress in Bioherbicide Development
Startups are working to overcome the technical challenges of creating bioherbicides that can compete with low-cost herbicides.
According to Dr. Pam Marrone, cofounder and executive chair of the Invasive Species Corporation,
“It’s the technical challenges of getting something that can compete with low-cost herbicides”. Conventional herbicides like glyphosate typically cost growers less than $10 per acre.
Despite the rise in herbicide-resistant weeds and increasing regulations on chemicals, the growth of the bioherbicide sector lags behind other areas in the ag biologicals space, such as biopesticides and biofertilizers.
Author's summary: Bioherbicide development faces cost-related challenges.