Science & Tech
defoliant
chemistry
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Thank you for your feedback
Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
External Websites
U.S. wartime use of defoliant in Vietnam
Category:
Science & Tech
- Related Topics:
- herbicide
- Agent Orange
defoliant, a chemical dust or spray applied to plants to cause their leaves to drop off prematurely. Defoliants sometimes are applied to crop plants such as cotton in order to facilitate harvesting. They are also used in warfare to eliminate enemy food crops and potential areas of concealment by enemy forces. Defoliants were employed for these purposes by South Vietnamese and U.S. forces in the Vietnam War; among the more controversial of these substances was the chemical compound known as Agent Orange (q.v.).