An herbicide that causes localized injury or death to plant tissues with which it contacts. Contact herbicides do not kill the entire plant.
A herbicide that only kills the plant material it is sprayed on. They will not kill the root systems.
A general classification for herbicides that are unable to move within a plant. A contact herbicide's effectiveness is highly dependent upon uniform coverage of treated soil or plant tissue.
A herbicide that is phytotoxic by contact with plant tissue rather than as a result of translocation. Only that portion of a plant contacted is directly affected. Young seedlings are killed, but perennials may recover because of the uninjured parts below ground.