Good news for the planet: a team of researchers from Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech at the University of Liège has developed bioherbicides based on essential oils. A natural alternative to chemical phytosanitary products including the highly controversial glyphosate. Although unlikely to be on sale before 2023, this is a major breakthrough for agriculture and environmental protection.
According to the RTBF, three essential oils have been selected. These have been tested on several crops in the field, and they work: they kill "weeds" which die 16 hours after the product is applied. However, two applications are recommended in order to avoid regrowth. Unlike glyphosate, which is a total herbicide, essential oils can be used to develop so-called selective herbicides which only attack specific plant species.
There are currently just two bioherbicides: one based on pelargonic acid (an extract of geranium), the other based on acetic acid derived from vinegar. This discovery therefore offers new opportunities, particularly but not exclusively, for the agricultural industry. "Our objective, is to develop these herbicides for farmers, but also for individuals. The idea is to use these products in the same way as roundup to remove weeds in gravel, driveways and even lawns," says Simon Dal Maso, a researcher at Gembloux.
Among farmers, there is quite a lot of enthusiasm about this innovation Made in Wallonia, but obviously there is the issue of price when you know the cost of essential oils. "Essential oils are relatively expensive, but we have developed an organic substance using a highly diluted oil but one which still has active properties. This lowers the final cost and means we can be competitive in relation to glyphosate," explains Haïssam Jijakli, Professor in Urban Agriculture and Plant Pathology at the Gembloux Faculty of the University of Liège.
Laboratory research began 10 years ago, well before the controversy around glyphosate broke out and it will be nearly two more years before these new herbicides can be marketed. Indeed, they need to obtain European approval by passing toxicity tests (not be harmful to humans) and ecotoxicity tests (not be harmful to the environment), which should not cause any problems. "These essential oils are already used in the field of medicine. So we do not have any concerns regarding these products potentially contaminating the fauna and flora," the Gembloux-based scientist explains.
The Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech team has already benefited from a subsidy from the Walloon Region to create an economic activity based on these discoveries. A spin-off is set to be created by the end of the year.
