Chinese scientists declare safe alternative to effective but toxic paraquat weed killer in bid to preserve crops
- Team of medical and chemistry researchers say they uncovered molecule called dienediamine that will aid global food security
- Paraquat herbicide has been banned in more than 20 countries and China stopped producing it from 2014 but poisoning deaths are still a problem
Chinese scientists say that they have discovered a new herbicide that combines the prominent advantages of paraquat – a widely used herbicide in global agriculture – while avoiding its ferocious toxicity.
Paraquat is a non-selective herbicide that has been widely used in more than 120 countries since the 1960s because of its effectiveness, broad spectrum of activity and relatively low cost. It has a contact-killing effect and quickly becomes ineffective on contact with the soil, making it a herbicide that does not harm soil or plant roots.
It is the world’s second-largest herbicide by volume used and is mainly applied for agricultural and horticultural weed control, as well as defoliation in crops such as cotton and soybeans.
However, its high toxicity to humans has become a serious problem and has curbed its application.
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Why is the Chinese government so concerned about food security?
Statistics show that in some areas of Asia, there is a 50-90 per cent mortality rate associated with the estimated 2,000 patients a year who suffer paraquat poisoning; worldwide, 20 deaths per million people result from paraquat poisoning because there is a lack of specific antidotes.