Roundup Ready® Crops: How have they changed things?

Authors

Robert G. Wilson, Jr., University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

Spring 2009

Comments

Online at: http://panhandle.unl.edu/web/panhandlerec/meeting_challenge_5

Abstract

The adoption rate of Roundup Ready Crops in the United States has been one of the major changes in agriculture in the last 20 years. More than 155 million acres of cropland were treated with Roundup (glyphosate) during the 2008 growing season.
The use of Roundup Ready crops has changed farming practices throughout the country. No-till or reduced-tillage practices have increased dramatically, and are closely associated with adoption of Roundup Ready crops. During the first 10 years of growing Roundup Ready crops, growers have relied heavily on glyphosate as the only herbicide used for weed management. With the development of glyphosate-resistant weeds in the cotton and corn belts, the glyphosate use patterns are starting to change, and herbicides with different modes of action are being incorporated into weed management programs.