Final answer:
Herbicides are chemicals used to control unwanted plants and are included in Integrated Pest Management strategies, combining multiple weed management approaches. They come with health risks, necessitating careful usage.
Step-by-step explanation:
Herbicides, also known as weedkillers, are chemical substances utilized to manage undesirable plant growth. Some of the more commonly used active ingredients in herbicides include 2,4-D, atrazine, glyphosate, and paraquat. These substances can act in various ways such as being selective, targeting specific types of plants while sparing others, or non-selective, indiscriminately affecting all vegetation they come into contact with.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a comprehensive approach that combines chemical, biological, and cultural tactics for managing weeds. Aimed at achieving sustainable control, IPM incorporates practices such as the use of herbicides in tandem with other methods like crop rotation, biological agents, and mechanical removal to manage weed populations.
When utilizing these chemicals, it is important to be aware of their health risks. Exposure to herbicides can result in a range of effects from minor skin rashes to severe consequences such as poisoning, which in some extreme cases may lead to death. Thus, caution in handling and application is essential to minimize any potential harm to humans and the environment.