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News Note:
More Weeds Resistant to Glyphosate
Scientists discovered glyphosate-resistant
marestail (horseweed) in three fields of Roundup Ready soybeans
in Delaware. The resistant weeds may be present in other fields
there, and in New Jersey and Maryland, as well. Glyphosate is the
active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup, which Monsanto has engineered
its Roundup Ready soybeans to resist.
Members of the agricultural community
disagree about the implications of this finding. A University of
Delaware weed scientist dismissed the idea that Roundup Ready soybeans
transferred their herbicide resistant genes to the marestail. To
deal with the problem, he suggested that growers spray 2,4-D (in
combination with other herbicides) at least seven days before planting
their soybeans. Then, after the Roundup Ready soybean plants have
emerged, growers can spray Roundup to control the other weeds.
Others in the agricultural community
contend that doing this points out the irony of escalating herbicide
use at a time when the biotechnology industry is telling farmers
that its genetically engineered plants require fewer herbicide applications.
Marestail is not the first weed to
develop resistance to Roundup. Three years ago, rigid rye grass
in Australia developed resistance to Roundup after a farmer had
applied too much of it. And on a Malaysian plantation, goose grass
(one of the 20 worst weeds in the world) showed resistance, she
said, noting that the tolerance was specific to that location.
Source/contact: "Does Roundup-resistant
marestail illustrate problems with reliance on GM crops and pesticides?"
February 22, 2001, Cropchoice.com, http://www.cropchoice.com.
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