Which herbicide is non-selective, killing most or all plant types?

• A. Non-selective herbicide
• B. Selective herbicide
• C. Preemergence herbicide
• D. Postemergence herbicide

Answer: (A)

Non-selective herbicides are designed to kill a wide range of plant species, not just a specific weed or crop. They have broad-spectrum activity, so they can kill grasses, broadleaf plants, and other vegetation, which is why they’re used when the goal is to clear an area completely before reseeding or replanting. Common examples include products like glyphosate, which will affect most green plant tissue.

This contrasts with selective herbicides, which are formulated to target particular kinds of plants (for example, killing broadleaf weeds in a turf while leaving grasses unharmed). The terms preemergence and postemergence describe when the herbicide acts relative to weed emergence—the timing aspect—rather than how broad its kill range is. Some products can be used at either time, but their selectivity is what determines whether they kill many species or just specific ones.

So, a herbicide that kills most or all plant types is described as non-selective.