This document summarizes commonly used herbicides in India and their trade names. It discusses 12 herbicides including 2,4-D, Simazine, Atrazine, Mertibuzine, Paraquat, Diquat, Benthiocarb, Alachlor, Butachlor, Fluchloralin, Pendimethalin, and Glyphosate. Each herbicide is described in 1-2 sentences regarding its chemical name, mode of action, crops it controls weeds in, and recommended application rates. The trade names under which each herbicide is marketed in India is also provided.

1. COMMONLY USED HERBICIDES IN INDIA AND THEIR
TRADE NAME
Prepared By: Dr. Pooja Goswami
Assistant Professor (Agronomy)
College of Agriculture, Balaghat, JNKVV, Jabalpur

2. INTRODUCTION:-
Herbicides , also commonly known as weedkillers, are substances used to control
unwanted plants. Selective herbicides control specific weed species, while leaving the
desired crop relatively unharmed, While non-selective herbicides (sometimes called total
weedkillers in commercial products) can be used to clear waste ground, industrial and
construction sites, railways and railway embankments as they kill all plant material with
which they come into contact.
SOME COMMONLY FOUND HERBICIDE FOUND IN INDIA ARE:-
1) 2, 4-D ( 2,4-Dichloropnenoxy Acetic Acid):It is selective translocated herbicide and
most widely used to control dicot weeds (Broad Leaf Weeds) in cereals and sugarcane as
post emergence application.
It is cheap, easily available, easy to apply and non-poisonous to human beings and animals.
It is available in three formulations as Sodium Salt (Fernoxone 80 wp or Agrosodium),
Dimethylamine (Agrodor 96 or Weedar 96) and Ethylester (Knockweed 36 EC or Knock
weed 4G).
Sodium salt is white powder with characteristics odour, low volatile and is soluble in water.
The dimethylamine is light brown liquid forms emulsion in water and is non-volatile.
Ethylester is light yellow liquid may be low or high volatile and forms milky emulsion with
water and it is absorbed by weeds at faster rate than other forms so more effective for control
of weeds.
It is applied @ 1 to 1.5 kg a.e /ha in 500 to 600 litres as post emergence spray.
2) 2,4,5-T : ( 2,4, 5 – Trichlorophenoxy Acetic Acid ) and 2,4,5-TP ( 2,4,5-
Trichloropropionic Acid):
Both the herbicides are similar to 2,4-D in properties and mode of action and useful for
controlling bushes and woody weeds.
3) DICAMBA: ( 3,6 –Dichloro-2-Methoxybenzoic Acid):It is selective translocated
herbicides and available by trade name Banvel ( 50 EC).
Useful to control broad leaf weeds and used @ 0.5 to 3 kg a.i/ha as postemergence spray.
4) SIMAZINE: (2,Chloro-4,6 –bi( Ethylamino ) s-triazine):Atrazine ( 2-Chloro -4-(
ethylamino -6- isoprophylamino-5-triazine.
Both the herbicides are selective, translocated and as pre-emergence spray for killing broad
leaf weeds and grasses in sugarcane, maize , jowar, potato, grapes etc.
The selective rates are o.5 to 2.5 kg a.i /ha in 500 to 600 litres of water. Simazine is available
in the market by trade name. Tafazine 50 W.P and Atrazine as Atrataf or Artex 50 WP.

3. Atrazine is more soluble in water than simazine. Therefore , atrazine is more useful in dry
farming areas.
5) Mertibuzine (4-Amino -6-tert-butyl- 3-(Methylthio) as triazine -5(4H)-one):
It is broad spectrum selective herbicides with both, soil and shoot activity and found useful in
sugarcane , potato, tomato, soybean, etc.
The effective rates are 0.2 to 1 kg a.i /ha. It is available in the market by trade name sencor
as 70 WP.
6) Paraquat ( 1,1 –diethyl -4- bipyridinium Ion and Diquat ( 6,7 – dihydrodipyrido (1,2
:2 , I-C ) Pyrazinediiumaion):
Both the herbicides are contact, non-selective with zero persistence in the soil.
Useful in sugarcane before germination and as direct spray after germiantion in sugarcane
and orchards.
Also useful as fallow application before sowing and also in noncropped areas. 1 to 2 kg a.i
/ha as post emergence spray.
Paraquat is availability trade name Gramoxone as 24 SL and diquat as Reglone 20 EC.
7) Benthiocarb or Thiobencarb: ( S-(4-Chlorobenzyl) N,N – Diethyl – Thicarbamate) :
It is effective for control of Echinochloa spp. in rice.
It is used as pre-emergence spray @ 1 to 2 kg a.i/ha.
It is available in the market by trade name Satrun 50 EC or Saturn 10 G or Bolero 10.
8) Alachlor ( 9,2-Chloro – 2,6- Diethyl- N-( Methoxymethyl ) Acetanilide) :
It is very annual grasses and certain broadleaf weeds in groundnut, soyean, cotton potatoes,
maize , sugarcane and vegetables.
It is applied @ 1 to 2 kg a.i /ha. It is available by trade name as Lasso 50 % EC. Or 10%
Granules.
9) Butachlor N ( Butoxymethy 2,6 –diethylacetanilide) :
It is selective pre-emergence herbicides used in seedbed and transplanted rice for control of
Echinochloa spp. and most other annual weeds.
The common rates are @ 1 to 2 kg a.i /ha. Upto 3 to 5 days after sowing in seeded rice and
upto 10 days after transplanting in transplanted rice.
It is available by trade name Machete as 50 EC or 5% granules.
10) Fluchloralin: (N-(2-Chloroethyl)-2,6-dinitro-N-prophyl) – 4 ( trifluromethyl)
amine):

4. It is selective pre-emergence herbicide effective against large number of annual weeds in
cotton, soybean, jute , chickpea, sunflower, onion and certain solanaceous vegetables.
Pre-planting soil incorporation of the herbicide give better results as it is volatile. It is applied
@ 1 to 1.5 kg a.i /ha and available by trade name Basalin as 45% EC.
11) Pendimethalin: ( N-(1-ethylprophyl)- 3, 4- dimethyl -2,6- dinitrobenzenamine) :
It is primarily selective pre plant, soil incorporated herbicide found effective against number
of annual weeds particularly grasses in cotton, soybean, groundnut and pea.
It is also used as pre-emrgence herbicide in maize , rice, small grains , onion and potato. The
selective rates are @ 1 to 1.5 kg a.i /ha. It is available by trade name Stomp 30 EC.
12) Glyphosate ( N-( Phosphomethyl ) (Glycine) :
It is postemergence , non-selective, translocated herbicide. It is highly shoot mobile and weak
residue herbicide and can be used against perennial weeds few days before sowing or as post
emergence spray in non cropped areas.
Very effective to control perennial weeds like nutgrass, hariali, etc. Recommended dose is @
1 to3 kg a.i /ha as post emergence spray when weeds are in active stage of growth.
It is available by trade name Roundup 41 as 41 S.L.
It is useful for killing perennial weeds effectively in fruit crops and sugarcane as directed
spray.