Herbicide use history and weed management in Southeast Asia

: Southeast Asia’s rich natural resources and favorable climatic conditions make it conducive for intensive rice-based, corn-based and perennial crops-based cropping systems. Regardless of the cropping system, weeds remain to be among the major factors that limit yields. The use of herbicides to manage weeds in these systems has been increasing through the years. The use of 2,4-D started in the late 1940s and remains as a major herbicide to control rice weeds. The 1980s saw the introduction of multiple active ingredients of herbicides for rice, corn and perennial crops, mostly selective herbicides with highly specific target sites and MOA.