Glyphosate: All You Need to Know
What is Glyphosate?
Glyphosate weedkiller is a globally used herbicide and plays
a crucial role in controlling weeds, particularly in modern farming Glyphosate
is a broad spectrum systemic herbicide that is primarily used to kill weeds,
especially annual broadleaf weeds and grasses that compete with crops.
Discovered in 1970 by Monsanto chemist John E. Franz, glyphosate works by
inhibiting a specific enzyme pathway that is essential for plant growth.
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in one of the world’s most commonly used weedkillers
and is what is termed as a ‘non selective’ as it cannot differentiate between
what you wish to kill and what you wish to keep safe should it drift onto the
none target…
How Does Glyphosate Work?
Glyphosate is sprayed onto the weeds and is then absorbed
through the leaves and stems of plants, moving throughout the plant to inhibit
the growth of essential proteins. Once applied, it disrupts the synthesis of
amino acids, leading to the eventual death of the plant. This makes it a highly
effective solution for controlling unwanted vegetation, particularly in
agriculture where crop yields are paramount to produce food on a global basis
Applications of Glyphosate
Glyphosate is used in several applications, including:
- Agriculture:
Farmers use glyphosate globally to manage weeds in all kinds of globally
grown crops such as soybeans, cereals and cotton, for example.
- Landscaping:
Homeowners and landscapers often use glyphosate to control weeds in
gardens and lawns, making it easier to maintain aesthetically pleasing
outdoor spaces.
- Non
Agricultural Settings: Glyphosate is also used in public spaces such
as parks, roadsides and railway tracks to manage invasive weed species and
maintain clear pathways.
We offer a full range of glyphosate containing products. Our
Home & Garden glyphosate ‘Gallup Home & Garden’ in a 1 ltr pack is very popular. This is the same
formulation as professional use products, but it has approval for the amateur
market so can be purchased by non-professional users. Gallup Home & Garden
contains the professional strength of 360g/l glyphosate and is used to control
annual and perennial grasses and broad leaved weeds in domestic settings. With
one litre covering up to 2,500sqm it offers great value for money, in a
handy 1 ltr pack!
Professional users in the Amenity Sector who apply products
as a business are more likely to purchase one of our professional use
glyphosate products including for example Roundup ProVantage, Gallup Biograde Amenity. We also supply a full range of other
professional use products such as Diamond, to control the difficult to control weed Marestail (Horsetail). Diamond
is a combination of glyphosate with the addition of another active ingredient.
None Chemical Alternatives to Glyphosate
A shift to using alternatives to glyphosate is slowly
becoming more popular due to concerns about the potential of environmental
impact, regulatory scrutiny and potential associated health issues. This has
led some to seek more sustainable weed management control practices, by
exploring the use non chemical methods.
As consumer demand for organic products and environmentally
friendly practices drives the shift away from glyphosate usage, we are now
stocking a glyphosate free weed control product called HYTROL No Glyphosate and will gradually expand the product range. Hytrol No Glyphosate contains natural ingredients, glyphosate free formulation
and comes in a 5 ltr ready to use pack which covers up to 500 sqm. There
are several chemical alternatives to glyphosate for weed control. Products
based on natural herbicides such as acetic acid or citric acid are being
explored to reduce reliance on specific herbicides now and in the
future So whilst glyphosate is the most effective weedkiller plus the most
cost effective way of treating broad leaved and perennial weeds, glyphosate
free weedkillers are available.