Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide, originally introduced as the active substance in the product Roundup® in the 1970s.
The term non-selective herbicide means that it can eliminate almost any type of weeds (monocots, dicots, perennials) to which it is applied. It became more and more important in sustainable agriculture as an important tool in Integrated Weed Management.
Weeds are competing with crops for space, water, nutrients and sunlight.
A Farmer who does not apply a broad-spectrum herbicide, e.g. glyphosate can suffer from harvest losses of up to 22% due to difficulty to control weeds. Furthermore, there are countless examples where a farmer needs to remove undesired vegetation to grow his crops, and typically a non-selective herbicide like glyphosate is the method of choice due to its safety when used in accordance with the label instructions, ease of use and low cost.
Today, glyphosate serves as an active substance in hundreds of plant protection products currently registered and approved for use in agriculture, vegetation management, lawn and garden, and more.
Over its 40 years of use, glyphosate has become an indispensable tool for farmers looking to improve efficiencies, ensure more productive harvests and preserve the environment.
Read More about crop protection and weed controlGlyphosate use has facilitated change in farming practices. By controlling a broad spectrum of weeds including their entire root systems, glyphosate has eliminated or reduced the need for ploughing of soils.
Read More about farming practicesOn its own, glyphosate acid is not water soluble enough to be readily sprayed and taken up by the plant.
Read More about application technologyConservation Agriculture is a farming system that promotes minimum soil disturbance (i.e. no tillage), maintenance of a permanent soil cover, and diversification of plant species.
Read More about conservation agricultureThe EU renewal of glyphosate requires the submission of a high-quality regulatory dossier to meet all standard regulatory requirements and provisions stipulated by EC Regulation 884/2012.
Read More Societal benefits