Scoping herbicide impacts on banana production and soil healthTools Pattison, A. B. (2016) Scoping herbicide impacts on banana production and soil health. Project Report. Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited.
Article Link: https://www.horticulture.com.au/globalassets/laser... AbstractHerbicides are applied in most banana plantations to reduce competition with weeds. There are currently seven registered herbicides used in the Australian banana industry, with different modes of action, e.g. pre-emergence (pendimethalin), selective post emergence (haloxyfop or fluazifop), broadspectrum systemic activity (glyphosate) and broad-spectrum knock-down activity (glufosinate, paraquat and diquat). The broad-spectrum knockdown herbicides are most commonly used once banana plantations are established. There is speculation that herbicides reduce soil functions, which potentially undermines the productivity and resilience of Australian banana plantations. Furthermore, in the wet-tropics region of Queensland, where the majority of bananas are grown, there is a need to demonstrate that agrochemicals are not impacting the Great Barrier Reef. To validate and improve the environmental credibility of the banana industry it is important to demonstrate the impacts of herbicides on soil functions through their influence on soil organisms. However, there are few and often conflicting reports about herbicides impacts on soil organisms and biological functions. Therefore, it is necessary to quantify changes in soil biological communities following the application of herbicides and to determine if biological remediation is a viable option.
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