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Is Glyphosate deadly to Castor seeds farming?

 
Read more about Glyphosate here Glyphosate is an herbicide. It is applied to the leaves of plants to kill both broadleaf plants and grasses. The sodium salt form of glyphosate is used to regulate plant growth and ripen specific crops. Glyphosate was first registered for use in the U.S. in 1974. African farmers have been introduced to the use of glyphosate as a weed control herbicide since early 1980's and the chemical formula has been packaged and sold in different brand names in Africa. And until most recently the chemical was banned in UK.

What weeds are killed by Glyphosate?

Annual weeds, including grasses and most broad-leafed plants, are easily controlled using Glyphosate. This is because they have soft tissue and when growing actively they quickly absorb enough chemical to destroy the plant. However, weeds with bulbs and perennial weeds with woody stems are much harder to control.

Do plants absorb glyphosate?
Glyphosate is absorbed across the leaves and stems of plants and is translocated throughout the plant. It concentrates in the meristem tissue. Plants exposed to glyphosate display stunted growth, loss of green coloration, leaf wrinkling or malformation, and tissue death.

Why is Glyphosate banned in UK?

Since the WHO declared it a “probable human carcinogen” in 2015, after research found “strong” evidence for its toxicity, 70 to 80 UK councils have turned to chemical-free options or simply letting plants grow, from Bath & North East Somerset council, to Highland council in Scotland.

Why is glyphosate banned?

Independent research points to its negative impacts on bees, soil health, aquatic life and biodiversity in general. The widespread use of the herbicide poses a threat to human health caused by genotoxicity, disruption of the microbiome, potential neurotoxicity, liver damage and endocrine-disrupting properties.

This abstract:  "Effect of glyphosate on the castor plant Ricinus communis" by. Thomas A. McKeon, Jenny Brichta is culled from sciencedirect.com 

Abstract:

The presence of ricin in castor seed has impeded the re-introduction of castor in the US. One concern is the potential of castor to contaminate nearby fields. Since most major crops in the US are resistant to the herbicide glyphosate, we evaluated the susceptibility of castor plants to 0.62% glyphosate, suited to that for corn plants resistant to glyphosate. Younger castor plants were more susceptible to the herbicide, with half of the plants and all the inflorescences dead after one treatment. The 9-week-old castor plants required two spray treatments resulting in significant defoliation with 15% of the plants being necrotic or entirely defoliated. Of 148 inflorescences, 5 bore apparently normal seed pods. However, many seeds in these pods were below normal in mass and oil content. Only 2% germinated vs. >90% for untreated castor seed. Thus, even on maturing castor plants, glyphosate treatment can be effective in preventing volunteer castor plants.


©C.S.A 18 Oct, 2023

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