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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09 Feb 2021-Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part B-pesticides Food Contaminants and Agricultural Wastes
TL;DR: In this paper, the spatial and seasonal variations of persistent herbicides metabolites and their origins in the Vilaine River watershed, Britany-France were investigated using data collected at 13 sampling stations during five sampling campaigns in 2016 and 2017.
Abstract: The aim of this study is to understand the spatial and seasonal variations of persistent herbicides metabolites and to determine their origins in the Vilaine River watershed, Britany-France Improving knowledge on herbicides metabolites sources and seasonality is important for drinking water resource management Data were collected at 13 sampling stations during five sampling campaigns in 2016 and 2017 Relations between water quality parameters, herbicides and metabolites were analyzed using statistical methods The influence of land use and wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) on streams water quality has been identified Cluster Analysis revealed that two groups of sampling stations can be described as “urban” with stations downstream the urban area and as “agricultural” with stations located downstream of the watershed Chloroacetamids metabolites have been associated together with nitrates and agricultural areas as could be expected Thus, the drinking water treatment plant located in the estuary of the Vilaine River is exposed to high metolachlor ESA and nitrate loads all year long Aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) is associated to anthropogenic urban contamination and nutrient loads AMPA has its major sources in both glyphosate and phosphonate detergents issued from WWTP This can help to adapt surface water treatment process and water management policies concerning herbicides metabolites
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TL;DR: In this article , the authors investigated whether a system based on the direct sowing of sunflower ( Helianthus annuus ) in the dead mulch of a roller-crimped hairy vetch ( Vicia villosa ) could be competitive with a system where glyphosate is also sprayed to terminate the cover crop and to control weeds.
Abstract: Abstract No-till cropping systems with cover crops can improve soil health, but often rely on glyphosate, which is a contentious herbicide. In this study, we investigated whether a system based on the direct sowing of sunflower ( Helianthus annuus ) in the dead mulch of a roller-crimped hairy vetch ( Vicia villosa ) could be competitive with a system where glyphosate is also sprayed to terminate the cover crop and to control weeds. We hypothesized that optimum timing of roller-crimping would be key to eliminate glyphosate requirements while maintaining sunflower performance. In a 3-year on-farm experiment, we compared three vetch termination stages (early: pre-flowering; Intermediate: beginning of flowering; late: 70% flowering) and three glyphosate rates (Nil, half and full, i.e. 1440 g of active ingredient per hectare). Vetch biomass increased progressively from early to late termination stages, and ranged between 414 and 658 g m −2 . Higher vetch biomass was correlated with lower weed biomass. Treatments had inconsistent effects on weed diversity and composition, largely determined by the interactions between treatments and seasonal (different years) or local factors (different fields). Glyphosate-based treatments seemed to select for aggressive weed species, but no clear species filtering effect based on ecological or functional traits was detected. Shannon H’ was positively correlated with sunflower grain yield below a weed dry biomass threshold of 150 g m −2 . Crop yield with early termination stage was a failure without glyphosate application. However, crop yield with late vetch termination was acceptable, being at par or 15% higher (mean of first and second years) in no-glyphosate compared with glyphosate-based treatments. Crop gross margins showed the same trend (+33% for no-glyphosate compared with glyphosate-based treatments). This study, for the first time, shows that targeted timing of roller-crimped hairy vetch in no-till sunflower can result in equal agronomic and economic performances as addition of glyphosate.
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TL;DR: In this article , the role of ferroptosis in GLY-induced hepatotoxicity was investigated both in vivo and in vitro, and the results showed that GLY exposure triggered ferroPTosis in L02 cells, but pretreatment with the inhibitor ferrostatin (Fer-1) rescued liver injury.
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TL;DR: In this article, the notion of level and scale of knowledge dynamics as complex systems is formalized and a new formal definition for phylomemetic networks as dynamical reconstruction of knowledge dynamic structures is introduced.
Abstract: The little prince asked Saint-Exupery to draw him a sheep, but what if he had asked him to be drawn Science? How could he have done it and what could we have learned from it? In this article, we address the question of ``drawing science'' by taking advantage of the massive digitization of scientific production, and focusing on its body of knowledge. We demonstrate how we can reconstruct, from the massive digital traces of science, a reasonably precise and concise approximation of its dynamical structures that can be grasped by the human mind and explored interactively. For this purpose, we formalize the notion of level and scale of knowledge dynamics as complex systems and we introduce a new formal definition for phylomemetic networks as dynamical reconstruction of knowledge dynamics. We propose a new reconstruction algorithm for phylomemetic networks that outperforms previous ones and demonstrate how this approach also makes it possible to define a new temporal clustering on dynamical graphs. Finally, we show in case studies that this approach produces representations of knowledge dynamics close to the ones that can be obtained by synthesizing the points of view of experts on a given domain.
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01 Jan 2023
TL;DR: In this paper , the use of sensor systems for a panel of target markers with specific focus in 1. lifestyle monitoring and diagnostics, 2. Threat and narcotics surveillance, 3. Environmental monitoring and ecosystem management is discussed.
Abstract: Combinatorial sensing platforms are employed for effective multi-analyte monitoring in a plethora of electroanalytical application regimes. This convolves towards production of highly robust point-of-care and point-of-need technologies in the field of electrochemical sensors and biosensors. In this article, use of sensor systems for a panel of target markers with specific focus in 1. Lifestyle monitoring and diagnostics, 2. Threat and narcotics surveillance, 3. Environmental monitoring and ecosystem management is discussed. Novelty in sensor platforms are explained in detail based on material functionalization on electrode surface in aiding electrochemical transduction, specific receptor conjugation and associated chemistry/biochemistry for affinity based systems and use of multi-modal (electrochemical techniques) methods. The working concepts of combinatorial platforms in this work was thereby directed towards capability of simultaneous detection of analyte molecules and target marker benchmarking for precision sensing technologies. Lastly, post-discussion of significance and principle of combinatorial monitoring- future scope of this emerging sensor field is highlighted in the aspect of integration of technology and building of smart field-deployable sensing setups.
2 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.”
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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