제초제의 효능과 약해 평가상의 당면과제

Basic Features and Facts of Herbicide Evaluation for Efficacy and Phytotoxicity in Korea

Use of herbicides in Korean agriculture has increased rapidly in recent years accompanying with ever-increasing pressure of farm labor shortage. Herbicides occupied already the second place in the rank of pesticides consumption in 1977. The agricultural experiment stations have carried out over 50 trials of chemical weed control each year since 1968. These research works and registration trials contributed much to the present wide use of herbicides. The pesticide management act amended in 1977 requires reevaluation of pesticides for their efficacy every 5 year-term. However, the development of sound weed control program and recommendations has been hempered very much by the lack of qualified workers of weed control research in agricultural experiment stations and in the institute for pesticide registration trial. Critical review of the past research works on herbicide evaluation and the present status indicates strong need for 1) the characterization of the nature of local and national weed problem, 2) the improvement of ability of the staffs in charge of weed control research through appropriate training on the basics and experimental techniques, and 3) organization and activities of weed control research committee. Furthermore, the present article attempts to clarify commonly misled points in the establishment of herbicide evaluation plan, in the design and execution of field trials, and in the assessment of trial results of the past works from the viewpoint of the basic principles with some case studies for resolution of specific enigmas.