In the context of the current rural labor loss and quality decline,the zero growth of pesticides and fertilizers,and the limited space for policy support,herbicide is of great significance for ensuring China’s food security. Based on the theory of agricultural induced technological change,this paper analyzes the mechanism of herbicide’s influence on crop production,and uses 818 survey data of farmers in 6 provinces across the country,taking wheat as an example and using OLS and ESRM to empirically study the effect of herbicide on food production efficiency. The study found that the use of herbicides by farmers can significantly increase the yield of wheat per unit area,with an ATT of 0.281 and a counterfactual scenario of ATU of 0.383. Further discussion of the samples on the heterogeneity of subregional showed the conclusion that herbicides improve wheat production efficiency is robust. We must scientifically and objectively understand and pay attention to the effect of herbicides on food production efficiency,improve farmers’ skills in the scientific use of herbicides,and strengthen the quality supervision of herbicide products.