Overlooked impact of the herbicide glyphosate on the enviroment
- Genetically engineered resistant (a) soybeans (Glycine max) and (b) corn (Zea mays). Photo taken from the journal
Extensive use can influence the phosphorus soil and runoff to water
Extensive use can influence the phosphorus soil and runoff to water
New research published in the Ecological Society of America’s Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment looks the impact of the herbicide glyphosate from a new perspective. Glyphosate was first synthesized in 1950 by Swiss chemist Henry Martin, who worked for the Swiss company Cilag but his work was never published. Later was independently discovered by Monsanto in 1970
Instead of focusing on the direct health risks on humans, researchers from the McGill University focus on the environmental impact of the herbicide and especially the phosphorus loading in the soil.
The herbicide glyphosate is the leading global pesticide and in the past two decades alone have seen a global use increase by a 15-fold. And although pesticides are typically regarded as negligible sources of nutrients the continuing use can add up.
The herbicide contains small amounts of phosphorus and extensive use of phosphorus to the agricultural landscape can influence the accumulation and cycling of P in soil and losses to nearby freshwater systems, which are prone to nutrient pollution.
The researchers concluded that
The increasing use of glyphosate has resulted in unforeseen issues, such as the emergence of glyphosate‐resistant weeds and, [...], an increasing amount of anthropogenic P in agricultural landscapes, especially where GERCs are grown extensively
Journal Reference:
1.Hébert MP, Fugère V, and Gonzalez A. (2019) “The overlooked impact of rising glyphosate use on phosphorus loading in agricultural watersheds,” first published online Dec. 5, 2018. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 17: 48–56. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.1985