User:Tweenk/Glyphosate

Glyphosate is a broad spectrum herbicide (weedkiller), invented by the company Monsanto in 1970. It works by inhibiting the plant's biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids. It is widely used in agriculture, land management and home gardening, and is often known by its original trademark Roundup. Some crops have been genetically modified to be resistant to glyphosate, which further increases the compound's usefulness.

Despite being one of the least toxic herbicides on the market, glyphosate attracts intense hatred from the usual chemopobic suspects: foodies, proponents of organic farming, and anti-GMO activists.

Use of glyphosate

The primary method of weed control in traditional agriculture is tilling. When the upper layer of soil is disturbed and all the plants are physically destroyed, the planted crop seeds face much less competition for nutrients. This is further augmented by spraying selective herbicides, which are supposed to only kill some of the weeds, after the crops sprout.

With genetically modified crops resistant to glyphosate, tilling is not necessary. Instead, seeds are planted into untilled soil with a seeding machine, and the field is sprayed with glyphosate to kill all plants which were previously growing in the field. A second spraying after sprouting can kill any leftovers. This practice, known as no-till farming, is considered environmentally sound. Compared to conventional methods, it increases the soil's carbon and water retention, minimizes soil erosion, and reduces fuel and labour costs.