Where’s the progress in bioherbicide development? Industry players weigh in
AgFunderNews
2025.10.20
Conventional herbicides like glyphosate typically cost growers less than $10 per acre. For biologicals players, startups or otherwise, the challenge is making a product that can match that low cost while simultaneously boasting the efficacy of, say, Roundup.
“The whole ag industry has struggled to crack bioherbicides, not just startups,” Dr. Virginia Corless, CEO of startup Moa Technology, tells AgFunderNews.
“Cost is certainly an issue—scaling-up production at a cost acceptable to farmers is a challenge across the biological category. But the real problem has been finding bioherbicides capable of doing a really good job in the field.”
Recent estimates have found more than 500 unique cases of herbicide resistant weeds globally; these weeds have evolved resistance to 21 out of 31 known herbicide sites of action and to 168 different herbicides.
Some believe this resistance could drive greater adoption of bioherbicides.
Unlike synthetic herbicides, bioherbicides are derived from biological agents such as microbes or plant extracts. They typically target essential plant processes and pose fewer risks to non-target organisms than a chemical herbicide like glyphosate.
Hundreds of bioherbicide substances have been investigated and dozens of patents filed in recent years. And while they remain a small drop in the overall crop protection bucket (holding less than 10% market share), some believe that’s starting to change thanks to new technologies seeping into the ag biologicals space.
Conventional herbicides like glyphosate typically cost growers less than $10 per acre. For biologicals players, startups or otherwise, the challenge is making a product that can match that low cost while simultaneously boasting the efficacy of, say, Roundup.
“The whole ag industry has struggled to crack bioherbicides, not just startups,” Dr. Virginia Corless, CEO of startup Moa Technology, tells AgFunderNews.
“Cost is certainly an issue—scaling-up production at a cost acceptable to farmers is a challenge across the biological category. But the real problem has been finding bioherbicides capable of doing a really good job in the field.”
Recent estimates have found more than 500 unique cases of herbicide resistant weeds globally; these weeds have evolved resistance to 21 out of 31 known herbicide sites of action and to 168 different herbicides.
Some believe this resistance could drive greater adoption of bioherbicides.
Unlike synthetic herbicides, bioherbicides are derived from biological agents such as microbes or plant extracts. They typically target essential plant processes and pose fewer risks to non-target organisms than a chemical herbicide like glyphosate.
Hundreds of bioherbicide substances have been investigated and dozens of patents filed in recent years. And while they remain a small drop in the overall crop protection bucket (holding less than 10% market share), some believe that’s starting to change thanks to new technologies seeping into the ag biologicals space.
Read more here.