Trends in glyphosate herbicide use in the United States and globally
TL;DR: Glyphosate will likely remain the most widely applied pesticide worldwide for years to come, and interest will grow in quantifying ecological and human health impacts, according to published global pesticide use data.
Abstract: Accurate pesticide use data are essential when studying the environmental and public health impacts of pesticide use. Since the mid-1990s, significant changes have occurred in when and how glyphosate herbicides are applied, and there has been a dramatic increase in the total volume applied. Data on glyphosate applications were collected from multiple sources and integrated into a dataset spanning agricultural, non-agricultural, and total glyphosate use from 1974–2014 in the United States, and from 1994–2014 globally. Since 1974 in the U.S., over 1.6 billion kilograms of glyphosate active ingredient have been applied, or 19 % of estimated global use of glyphosate (8.6 billion kilograms). Globally, glyphosate use has risen almost 15-fold since so-called “Roundup Ready,” genetically engineered glyphosate-tolerant crops were introduced in 1996. Two-thirds of the total volume of glyphosate applied in the U.S. from 1974 to 2014 has been sprayed in just the last 10 years. The corresponding share globally is 72 %. In 2014, farmers sprayed enough glyphosate to apply ~1.0 kg/ha (0.8 pound/acre) on every hectare of U.S.-cultivated cropland and nearly 0.53 kg/ha (0.47 pounds/acre) on all cropland worldwide. Genetically engineered herbicide-tolerant crops now account for about 56 % of global glyphosate use. In the U.S., no pesticide has come remotely close to such intensive and widespread use. This is likely the case globally, but published global pesticide use data are sparse. Glyphosate will likely remain the most widely applied pesticide worldwide for years to come, and interest will grow in quantifying ecological and human health impacts. Accurate, accessible time-series data on glyphosate use will accelerate research progress.
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TL;DR: In this article , the laser-induced graphene (LIG) platform was used for the selective detection of glyphosate as a substrate for GlyOx, achieving a linear range of 10−260 µm, detection limit of 3.03 µm and sensitivity of 0.991 nA µm−1.
Abstract: Glyphosate is a globally applied herbicide yet it has been relatively undetectable in‐field samples outside of gold‐standard techniques. Its presumed nontoxicity toward humans has been contested by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, while it has been detected in farmers’ urine, surface waters and crop residues. Rapid, on‐site detection of glyphosate is hindered by lack of field‐deployable and easy‐to‐use sensors that circumvent sample transportation to limited laboratories that possess the equipment needed for detection. Herein, the flavoenzyme, glycine oxidase, immobilized on platinum‐decorated laser‐induced graphene (LIG) is used for selective detection of glyphosate as it is a substrate for GlyOx. The LIG platform provides a scaffold for enzyme attachment while maintaining the electronic and surface properties of graphene. The sensor exhibits a linear range of 10–260 µm, detection limit of 3.03 µm, and sensitivity of 0.991 nA µm−1. The sensor shows minimal interference from the commonly used herbicides and insecticides: atrazine, 2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, dicamba, parathion‐methyl, paraoxon‐methyl, malathion, chlorpyrifos, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, and imidacloprid. Sensor function is further tested in complex river water and crop residue fluids, which validate this platform as a scalable, direct‐write, and selective method of glyphosate detection for herbicide mapping and food analysis.
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TL;DR: In this article , two simple Schiff base derivatives, 4-(((3-chloropyridin-4-yl)imino)methyl)-N,N-dimethylaniline (BNP-Cl) and 4-(3-((3- chloropyridisin- 4-yl)-imino)-propenyl)-N ,N-DimethylanILine (CNP-Cl), were prepared by combining a pyridine moiety with a cinnamaldehyde or a benzaldehyde moiety.
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TL;DR: Ascorbic acid in Oreochromis niloticus, Ambystoma mexicanum and human lymphocytes reduced glyphosate-induced genetic damage to a basal level, indicating that these antioxidants could help preserve the integrity of the DNA of organisms exposed to glyphosate.
Abstract: Glyphosate is a controversial herbicide. Its genotoxicity and presence in various ecosystems have been reported. The use of ascorbic acid and resveratrol could protect different organisms from glyphosate-induced genetic damage. In the present study, specific genetic damage induced by glyphosate was evaluated in erythrocytes of Oreochromis niloticus, Ambystoma mexicanum and human lymphocytes. Simultaneously, the antigenotoxic capacity of various concentrations of ascorbic acid and resveratrol was evaluated by means of pretreatment and simultaneous treatment protocols. The 0.03, 0.05 and 0.07 mM concentrations of glyphosate induced significant genotoxic activity (p < 0.05) in human lymphocytes and in erythrocytes of the species studied, and could cause genomic instability in these populations. The reduction in genetic damage observed in human lymphocytes exposed to high concentrations of glyphosate is only apparent: excessive genetic damage was associated with undetectable excessive tail migration length. A significant (p < 0.05) antigenotoxic effect of ascorbic acid and resveratrol was observed in all concentrations, organisms and protocols used. Both ascorbic acid and resveratrol play an important role in maintaining the integrity of DNA. Ascorbic acid in Oreochromis niloticus, Ambystoma mexicanum reduced glyphosate-induced genetic damage to a basal level. Therefore, our data indicate that these antioxidants could help preserve the integrity of the DNA of organisms exposed to glyphosate. The consumption of antioxidants is a useful tool against the genotoxicity of glyphosate.
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23 Sep 2017TL;DR: It could be concluded that the safe usage of genetically modified technology, by considering all nationally and internationally accepted environmental and health safety assessment protocols, can help to use advantages of this technology in agriculture, medicine and industry.
Abstract: Background and Objective: Application of genetically modified organisms in the agriculture sector and food industry began since last years of 20th century. Since then this technology has become a central part of the broader public controversy about the advantages and safety of these products. This article has tried to review aspects of these types of organisms and foods.Results and Conclusion: Genetically modified technology has potential to overcome agricultural problems, such as biotic and abiotic issues by enhancing pests and herbicides resistance, drought tolerance, fast ripening, and finally enhancing yield and nutritional quality. Besides these revolutionary advantages, during the last decades some potential human, animal and environmental risks have been taken in account for these organisms or foods. However, no scientific evidence exists adequately about their harmful human or animal effects, and also, some new scientific and management methodologies (new technologies and regulations) have been developed to mitigate the environmental risks. Some challenges such as pest adaptation are being solved by refuge technology, gene pyramiding and insertion of best-coupled primers through the known conditions reducing unintended outcomes including silencing, activation or rearrangement of non-target genome pieces. However, it does not mean that no harmful effect will happen in the future. Therefore, it is required that before release of any genetically modified crop, all requested risk assessments be performed, and then post release monitoring be done to follow the possible gene flow and prevent any potential disastrous contaminations to the food chain. Finally, it could be concluded that the safe usage of this technology, by considering all nationally and internationally accepted environmental and health safety assessment protocols, can help us to use advantages of this technology in agriculture, medicine and industry. However, more safety evaluations are being done frequently.Conflict of interest: There is no conflict of interests to declare.
4 citations
Cites background from "Trends in glyphosate herbicide use ..."
...Comparative studies show that the use of glyphosate have been increased with a sharp trend since 2005 [42]....
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TL;DR: In this paper , the effects of glyphosate and its metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) on aquatic plants in different ecological niches were investigated. And the results indicated that both the individual and combined effects of both glyphosate and AMPA might alter the vertical structure of shallow lakes and accelerate the conversion of shallow lake from grass-based to algal-based lakes.
4 citations
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TL;DR: One of the first specialized agencies of the United Nations to become active, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as discussed by the authors has elicited interest beyond the specialized field of agricultural economists.
Abstract: One of the first of the specialized agencies of the United Nations to become active, the Food and Agriculture Organization has elicited interest beyond the specialized field of agricultural economists. Attempting as it does to solve one of the very basic problems of the world, that of an adequate food supply, the organization represents a significant and hopeful international attempt to create a world in which there may actually exist “freedom from want.” The objectives of FAO, as formally expressed in the preamble to the constitution, read as follows:“The nations accepting this constitution being determined to promote the common welfare by furthering separate and collective action on their part for the purpose of raising levels of nutrition and standards of living of the people under their jurisdiction, securing improvements in the efficiency of the production of all food and agricultural products, bettering the conditions of rural populations, and thus contributing toward an expanding world economy, hereby establish the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.”
4,803 citations
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TL;DR: The use of this virtually ideal herbicide is now being threatened by the evolution of glyphosate-resistant weeds, and adoption of resistance management practices will be required to maintain the benefits of glyphosate technologies for future generations.
Abstract: Since its commercial introduction in 1974, glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] has become the dominant herbicide worldwide. There are several reasons for its success. Glyphosate is a highly effective broad-spectrum herbicide, yet it is very toxicologically and environmentally safe. Glyphosate translocates well, and its action is slow enough to take advantage of this. Glyphosate is the only herbicide that targets 5-enolpyruvyl-shikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS), so there are no competing herbicide analogs or classes. Since glyphosate became a generic compound, its cost has dropped dramatically. Perhaps the most important aspect of the success of glyphosate has been the introduction of transgenic, glyphosate-resistant crops in 1996. Almost 90% of all transgenic crops grown worldwide are glyphosate resistant, and the adoption of these crops is increasing at a steady pace. Glyphosate/glyphosate-resistant crop weed management offers significant environmental and other benefits over the technologies that it replaces. The use of this virtually ideal herbicide is now being threatened by the evolution of glyphosate-resistant weeds. Adoption of resistance management practices will be required to maintain the benefits of glyphosate technologies for future generations. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
1,331 citations
"Trends in glyphosate herbicide use ..." refers background in this paper
...John Franz, identified the herbicidal activity of glyphosate in 1970, and a formulated end-use product called Roundup was first sold commercially by Monsanto in 1974 [2]....
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TL;DR: GBHs are the most heavily applied herbicide in the world and usage continues to rise; Worldwide, GBHs often contaminate drinking water sources, precipitation, and air, especially in agricultural regions and regulatory estimates of tolerable daily intakes for glyphosate in the United States and European Union are based on outdated science.
Abstract: The broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate (common trade name “Roundup”) was first sold to farmers in 1974. Since the late 1970s, the volume of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) applied has increased approximately 100-fold. Further increases in the volume applied are likely due to more and higher rates of application in response to the widespread emergence of glyphosate-resistant weeds and new, pre-harvest, dessicant use patterns. GBHs were developed to replace or reduce reliance on herbicides causing well-documented problems associated with drift and crop damage, slipping efficacy, and human health risks. Initial industry toxicity testing suggested that GBHs posed relatively low risks to non-target species, including mammals, leading regulatory authorities worldwide to set high acceptable exposure limits. To accommodate changes in GBH use patterns associated with genetically engineered, herbicide-tolerant crops, regulators have dramatically increased tolerance levels in maize, oilseed (soybeans and canola), and alfalfa crops and related livestock feeds. Animal and epidemiology studies published in the last decade, however, point to the need for a fresh look at glyphosate toxicity. Furthermore, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer recently concluded that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans.” In response to changing GBH use patterns and advances in scientific understanding of their potential hazards, we have produced a Statement of Concern drawing on emerging science relevant to the safety of GBHs. Our Statement of Concern considers current published literature describing GBH uses, mechanisms of action, toxicity in laboratory animals, and epidemiological studies. It also examines the derivation of current human safety standards. We conclude that: (1) GBHs are the most heavily applied herbicide in the world and usage continues to rise; (2) Worldwide, GBHs often contaminate drinking water sources, precipitation, and air, especially in agricultural regions; (3) The half-life of glyphosate in water and soil is longer than previously recognized; (4) Glyphosate and its metabolites are widely present in the global soybean supply; (5) Human exposures to GBHs are rising; (6) Glyphosate is now authoritatively classified as a probable human carcinogen; (7) Regulatory estimates of tolerable daily intakes for glyphosate in the United States and European Union are based on outdated science. We offer a series of recommendations related to the need for new investments in epidemiological studies, biomonitoring, and toxicology studies that draw on the principles of endocrinology to determine whether the effects of GBHs are due to endocrine disrupting activities. We suggest that common commercial formulations of GBHs should be prioritized for inclusion in government-led toxicology testing programs such as the U.S. National Toxicology Program, as well as for biomonitoring as conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
638 citations