Use Facts to Make Glyphosate and Glyphosate Resistant Crop Decisions

Iowa State University professors Bob Hartzler and Michael Owen and a number of Purdue University extensionists as well as Peter Goldsborough, department head of Botany and Plant Pathology have recently published two separate articles to address the concerns on the use of glyphosate resistant crops.

Hartzler and Owen in their article on Glyphosate Interactions with Micronutrients and Plant Diseases concluded that "Results from field research and our widespread experience with glyphosate on glyphosate resistant crops for over a decade do not indicate widespread negative impacts of glyphosate on these factors".

The Purdue scientists on the other hand presented numerous evidences to conclude that "Overall, the claims that glyphosate is having a widespread effect on plant health are largely unsubstantiated." They further gave a final statement saying that, "We encourage crop producers, agribusiness personnel, and the general public to speak with University Extension personnel before making changes in crop production practices that are based on sensationalist claims instead of facts." 

The papers are downloadable from the website: Glyphosate's Impact on Field Crop Production and Disease Development at http://www.btny.purdue.edu/weedscience/2011/GlyphosatesImpact11.pdf ; Glyphosate Interations with Micronutrients and Plant Diseases at http://www.weeds.iastate.edu/mgmt/2010/glyMndisease.pdf.

The original news can be seen at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/CropNews/2011/0225hartzler.htm.