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Researchers at the University of Kansas may have confirmed fears that the popular herbicide, Roundup, could eventually lose its effect on weeds.
Aired November 27, 2006
Transcript
Crop farmers who depend on the popular herbicide, roundup, may want to think about going easy on the spray.I'm Brandis Griffith, with your research minute.
Researchers at the University of Kansas have found that overtime, the weeds killed by roundup may eventually develop resistance to it—especially if the pesticide is overused.
Medicinal chemistry professor Ernst Schönbrunn and his research team analyzed the protein used to make crops, like soybean, corn and cotton, resistant to the herbicide – those crops are called roundup ready.
Schönbrunn says the chemical change that makes them resistant is so minor, it would not be hard for weeds to evolve.
“That means if plants become resistant over time. That one would have to use other herbicides and all other herbicides known, they are not environmentally friendly, some are really poisonous.”
Schönbrunn says the farming and chemical industries should begin the search for a roundup replacement.
For more information, log on to researchminute.ku.edu.
From the University of Kansas, I'm Brandis Griffith.
Tell Me More
KU researchers’ findings on popular herbicide published in science journal
LAWRENCE — Researchers at the University of Kansas might have confirmed fears that Roundup, the most popular herbicide available today, could over time lose its effectiveness on weeds.
