Benefin

Benefin is an active ingredient in herbicides designed to control problematic annual grasses and broadleaf weeds. Benefin is a pre-emergent herbicide meaning that it attacks weed seeds before they germinate in order for the product to be effective.

Benefin is also known by other names such as Balan, Balfin or its more scientific name Benfluralin. Benefin brings season-long control to target weeds such as direct-seeded lettuce, established turf, seeded alfalfa, red clover, birdsfoot trefoil, and ladino clover.

Solutions Pest & Lawn is glad to have this herbicide in our inventory and our customers feel the same way. On this page, you will learn a little bit about why Benefin is such an effective pre-emergent herbicide and you will also be able to shop all our products that contain this active ingredient.

What is Benefin?

Benefin (chemical name: N-Butyl-N-ethyl-a,a,a-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-p-toluidine (56)) is a herbicide that was made to control a variety of broadleaf and grassy weeds on a variety of different landscapes. Benefin is of the class of inhibiting herbicides called dinitroanilines which inhibit cell division. Benefin is a shortened version of the name benfluralin. Benefin was first registered in the United States in 1970.

Benefin-based products come in a variety of different formulations such as emulsifiable concentrate, granules, soluble concentrate/liquid, water-dispersible granules (dry flowable). Benefin can be used alone and has been manufactured in combinations with formulas such as with trifluralin and oryzalin.

Some of the types of weed it is known to successfully control is annual bluegrass, barnyardgrass, crabgrasses, crowfootgrass, fall panicua, foxtails, goosegrass, seedling johnsongrass, junglerice, ryegrass, sandbur, Texas panicum, carpetweed, chickweed, knotweed, lambsquarters, pigweeds, purslane, redmaids, and Florida pusley.

How Does Benefin Work?

Mode of Action

Benefin’s mode of action is that the active ingredient inhibits cell division. The results of applying this product are that very few roots emerge, and the ones that do are club-shaped. As a pre-emergent herbicide, Benefin is only effective before the seeds of the targeted weed have sprouted. If the problem weed has already grown or has been established, it will not harm the plant.

Applications of Benefin incorporate into the soil after 4 to 8 hours. The Benefin then is absorbed by seeds that are about to reach germination stage, which stops the assembly of the seeds microtubule, halting the seed development. 

Benefits of Benefin

Benefin is a selective pre-emergent herbicide and is highly recommended because of its effective mode of action. The product will target the unwanted weeds that are a recurring problem on a landscape and is versatile in that it can be applied on both cool-season and warm-season turf. Benefin-based products are also economical so you don't have to worry about spending a fortune to get the desired result.

Use Benefin on your turf when you want to prevent invasive annual grasses and broadleaf weeds from growing.

Drawbacks of Benefin

Benefin is a pre-emergent herbicide active ingredient, therefore, it will be ineffective if the weed you want to remove has already sprung up from the soil. Do not use Benefin on weed seeds that have already germinated. In this case, you should just use a post-emergent herbicide.

Is Benefin Safe?

Benefin is safe to use when applied according to label directions. Benefin has low toxicity to humans and little to no toxic hazard to mammals and birds, but is toxic to fish. Please keep pets and children off the treated area until the ground has had time to completely dry. Always read the product label for safety instructions in handling active ingredient and or any other pesticide active ingredient.

We recommend the use of safety equipment such as gloves, protective goggles, a breathing mask and long-sleeve clothing when handling Benefin product or any chemical herbicide active ingredient.

What To Expect

Benefin is a pre-emergent herbicide so it doesn't actually kill weeds, it just prevents the weed seeds in the soil from germinating. If the Benefin active ingredient comes in granule form, you will need to water the product in after applying it to the treated area.

Apply Benefin in the Spring to control summer weeds and in the Fall to control winter weeds.

Featured Products

Balan 2.5 G Pre-Emergent  - Balan 2.5 G is a granular pre-emergent herbicide. Balan contains the active ingredient Benefin and is ideal for controlling a broad spectrum of annual grassy weeds in lawns and golf courses.