Glyphosate

Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide registered for use on many food and non-food field crops as well as non-crop areas where total vegetation control is desired. When applied at lower rates, glyphosate also is a plant growth regulator.

Control of annual and perennial grasses and broad-leaved weeds, pre-harvest, in cereals, peas, beans, oilseed rape, flax and mustard, at 1.5-2 kg/ha, control of annual and perennial grasses and broad-leaved weeds in stubble and post-planting/pre-emergence of many crops, as a directed spray in vines and olives, at up to 4.3 kg/ha, in orchards, pasture, forestry and industrial weed control, at up to 4.3 kg/ha. As an aquatic herbicide, at 2 kg/ha.

For control of annual and perennial weeds, woody brush, and trees on over 150 crops. Use postdirected in tree and plantation crops, postemergence over Roundup Ready soybeans, and postharvest in fallow periods and noncropland.

Use classes: Herbicides, Pesticides.

Glyphosate is a synthetic organophosphate compound that blocks the activity of enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase and is used as a broad-spectrum pesticide. It is characterized as a volatile, moderately toxic, colorless, odorless crystalline solid or powder, and exposure occurs by inhalation, ingestion, or contact.

Glyphosate is produced by heating a mixture of phosphorous acid and a-amino acetic acid, and then adding formaldehyde.

Preparation: J. E. Franz, German patent 2152826, idem, United States of America patent 3799758 and United States of America patent 3853530 (1972, 1974, 1974 all to Monsanto).